Knowledge of an Outsider
by Ashlyn-i
Summary: When the Pokémon world is in danger, heroes must rise up to defend it. But, the legendries decide to take matters into their own hands and summon humans from our universe, in the hope our knowledge can save the world. And I'm not just talking one or two; if they had left it to chance, things might have been easier to solve... On hiatus, to be rewriten
1. Prologue

Summary:  
>Knowledge is not good nor evil: It has no master and knows no end. Knowledge is not good nor evil: it's what you do with it that matters.<br>Amy has a lot of knowledge on Pokémon. She knows type-advantages and battle styles. She knows that there are legendaries that watch over the world and she knows that humans have a habit of making the worst decisions when it comes to controlling these legendaries.  
>But she doesn't know one thing, there is one thing she doesn't understand. Why is she here?<br>This is the story of a journey: a journey to find answers, a journey to find understanding, a journey to find out just who she is. Amy needs this, she needs to discover who she is, because Amy is an Outsider.

Disclaimer: It's been ages since I've done one of these. **I don't own Pokemon**. I just own a few games.

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><p>Pokémon: a popular TV show, collection of games, cards and films. Collectors around the world, our world, collect themwatch them/play them. Fans write their own versions and chat endlessly about what they would do if they could go there. Of course, everyone knows you can't…

Meanwhile, in a different universe…

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><p>Arceus was trying to get himself heard over the other legendaries. He knew it was a bad move inviting all of them, but some had to be present; others it was best to invite or resign yourself to being chased through space and time searching for the reason why you didn't invite them. Being the all-powerful creator Pokémon, he didn't have time to do that. Nor, really, did he have time for this. But there was something important that needed to be said, and it needed to be said now, because something was going to begin to happen.<p>

There was a tension in the air as many of the legendary Pokémon who had fought each other since the dawn of time settled themselves on either side of the metaphorical room. This was not helped by the bird trio, who were causing havoc with the weather in the heavens. Thunder would crash, lightning crackle, fireballs explode and blizzards hailed hatred amongst the rest, particularly those dragon Pokémon who were a little nervous around ice. Apart from Kyurem, and several other ice legendaries, who sat back on their haunches and lifted their faces into the blizzard. Arceus nodded at Rayquaza and all weather effects ceased.

How had a simple discussion turned into the brink of war? Arceus tried, over his pounding headache, to remember why he had called the legendaries here in the first place. It was something to do with humans. Then again, it was nearly always something to do with humans. Humans, the legendaries have tolerated living on their world for countless generations, because they cared for Pokémon and looked after Pokémon, were as one with Pokémon in many ways. But, as with everything, there were the odd bump in the smooth timeline who cropped up, but were usually flattened before any damage really happened. In fact, there had been peace for so long that Arceus had sent many legendaries in a sleep so that their fighting did not disturb this peace. He needed peace. Chaos gave him headache.

Speaking of headaches, his current one was getting worse. He was reaching the point when he started dishing out a serious round of Judgements. He knew that this would not help, but was reaching the point where he could see no other alternative. He tried recalling why they were there. Human…

It was the sudden rise of, what Arceus liked to call, anti-humans, humans who were opposed to peace, who were cruel to Pokémon, who wanted to reawaken legendaries, that sort of thing. There had been the odd one or two over the years, but suddenly, there were groups appearing and not just in one or two regions. They were appearing everywhere. And Arceus knew that there were only a limited number of humans who were good enough to combat them.

There was a cry from somewhere near the back of the metaphorical room that Arceus had constructed for the meeting. It was the Creation Trio again. Arceus knew that out of all the legendaries, they were the worst to stick in the same space-time dimension. He would not have done it if it had not been for the fact that they were central in one of the predictions from Dialga and Celebi, the two time legendaries who could read future advents.

Giratina had still not settled down. Ever since Dialga had brought up the prophecy about humans, calling themselves "Galactic", and what they will do, Giratina had been going nonstop at Arceus to do something. Arceus would try and explain politely that he had purposely set himself back so that he wouldn't meddle in human affairs. Besides, Dialga had concluded that it would all end happily. That apparently wasn't good enough for Giratina. Palkia looked set to pounce on Dialga any moment and was only held back by Arceus' command.

Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf, all were also mentioned in the prophecy, sat together in a corner of the darkness in deep discussion. At least, Uxie and Mesprit were discussing something but Arceus had a feeling that Azelf had gone back to sleep. That was the problem with sending legendaries into a never ending sleep. They tended to have difficult staying awake once woken and when properly awake, they tended to get very angry, very quickly.  
>Another prophecy was facing the three Hoenn legendaries – Kyogre, Groudon and Rayquaza – were struggling not to attack one another when stuck in the same dimension. When Arceus let Dialga tell them what was to come, they immediately started bickering about who started it. Arceus had had a go at them for disrupting the peace and they stopped although they were still indecisive at whose fault it was.<p>

Arceus was pleased that Reshiram and Zekrom had stopped fighting, although that might have been something do to with Arceus' threat to stick them back into one dragon and let them fight internally to see who was right. that way, Arceus had declared, none of us would have to listen to you. Kyurem was now sitting smugly in between them, practically waiting for them to continue.

It's alright for them, Arceus thought, no matter what happens in Unova, the villain behind it all has a caring heart, according to Celebi (who always did try and see the best in people), and so no real damage happens. It was everyone else, like the prophecy about corrupting space and time into a new world that worried Arceus.

Mew was zooming over their heads coming up with wild, practically impossible ideas (like blowing up the planet and creating a new one) whilst his clone, Mewtwo, stood calmly watching him and feeling rather superior about being the more mature clone. Mew hadn't always been like this, but ever since he had been cloned, he'd been feeling rather giddy, which was unfortunate for everyone else. Arceus had half a mind to shut him up in some remote cave on the very brink of a region, or not in a region at all.

Humans, Arceus thought as Unown danced about his head, the problem is humans: Bad humans outnumbering the good humans.

_Well then_, said a little thought in his ear, _all we need are more good humans_.

We cannot tell humans of what is to come, Arceus thought back angrily, think how they would react. It might cause the blips to act sooner. Maybe we should just let it all play out and it would work out for the best.

_Will it?_ Said the little voice, _I'm not sure it will. All it takes is for one person to change their mind, for one little delay, for something to occur out of place and all the good in the world goes up in smoke._

Buzz off before I summon Judgement, Arceus snapped. The Unown flittered and zoomed away. Angry as Arceus was, he had to admit that they had a point. All it would take is for one thing to go wrong and… Arceus did not really want to think about the and…

We need humans who know what is to come and yet we cannot directly tell them. Arceus wondered about creating some Unown ruins in the past to relate to future problems. How many people would believe that that was a message from Pokémon? How many would act upon it? Psychics were out of the question. There were no real psychics about anymore, Arceus thought sadly. That would have made this so much easier.

So it came as a surprise to him that Mew's only sensible suggestion of the meeting turned out to be the best way to solve their problem.

Arceus was nearly at bursting point and was getting ready to deal out Judgements to all those giving him a headache when Mewtwo sidled up to him and muttered in his ear. He nodded at Mew who was now being chased back and forward by Zapdos, egged on by Articuno and Moltres, and murmured Mew's suggestion into Arceus' ear.

Forced silence descended upon the legendaries thicker than Celestic town fog. Any arguments that continued, Arceus at least could not hear as he rose to his full height, which was still shorter than some of the other legendaries, and explained the plan.

"There is another universe," Arceus explained, "a universe inhabited by humans, but not by Pokémon. To make up for that, these humans created Pokémon in the form of stories to tell to their children, so they could feel a part of this world. Many of these humans know of what will happen because of the stories they tell. If we could bring a human with the knowledge of Pokémon from that world into ours, they may be able to change the course of the history in our universe. They will know what will happen and they can strive to stop it!"

There was a pause as this plan was thought over. And then all of the legendaries tried talking at once through the silence. Arceus was reluctant to remove the silence; his headache just going down.

"How are we going to get them from their universe into ours?" was the first question he heard.

The silence was back before he heard anymore. "Palkia, Dialga and Giratina can aid me in creating some sort of portal to bring them through. Celebi, you can be in charge of distributing them evenly across time and space. When they reach a certain age, we can send them back. We can freeze time in their world to make it fair on those we take and those left behind. And when we send them back, they will remember this only as a dream."

They were still clamouring the other side of the silence.

"How will you know which ones to take?" was the next question Arceus allowed through.

This took Arceus a little longer to answer, several centuries longer. Finally, he found the answer. "We could send Rotom through. He can check their electrical appliances for any connections to our world. That is how we will know which the right one to bring through is." He did not add that they would not know for sure if a hero would be brought through, or, in fact, they would help, but he did not need to. Many of the legendaries had already spotted this problem just were a little nervous about stating it.

There was a muted murmur as the others agreed with the idea. Arceus dismissed them to do their jobs and silently wished that this idea would work. If it didn't, he was going to have a serious talk with Mew and Mewtwo. And then with the world in general.

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><p>Please tell me what you think because if you don't like it, well if you don't like it I don't really care, but if you do like it I'd like to know so please review!<p>

Next time: Arceus puts his plan into action. Who will it effect? How will it effect the Pokémon world. Tune in and find out!


	2. From One World to Another

Chapter One... when everything begins.

Meet the character i'll be focusing on. As suggested in my summary, which I don't like but hey I rarely like them, it's not just her that this happens to, it's just her that everything else happens to.

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. There, I said it.

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><p>This was the last thing Amy wanted. She had important examinations coming up and her parents had left her alone with her younger brother. That could only mean one thing.<p>

'For the last time,' Amy yelled as Oliver scooted for the door, 'I am not playing Pokémon now!'

Four years younger and without any care about his sister's education, Oliver stood in the safety of the door frame and stuck his tongue out at her. 'You've been working all afternoon. Besides, we're on holiday! You have the rest of the week to revise.'

Amy wasn't going to give in. She purposefully turned her back on Oliver and carried on reading. Oliver stuck his tongue out at her and, when he realised that this wasn't getting the result he wanted, snuck back up to his sister.

'Tickle attack!' he screamed and dived at her.

'Ow!' Amy cried as Oliver pushed her forward and her midriff collided with the desk. 'That hurt!'

'Come play Pokémon!' Oliver yelled.

'No, go away.'

'I'm not going until you come,' Oliver declared, sitting down on a chair the other side of the room and starting to sing, 'I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves. I know a song that will get on your nerves and this is how it goes…'

That was how Amy ended up stuck in the living room on her DS whilst Oliver chattered about battles and trades and all sorts of other things to do with Pokémon. It wasn't that Amy didn't like Pokémon; she just wasn't in the mood for it. Oliver had talked her into a Level 100 double battle on one condition.

'You're not allowed to use Arceus,' Amy snapped when he suggested it. Oliver's face fell; Arceus was his best Pokémon, admittedly it was the only Pokémon he was pleased about getting to level 100. Grumpily, he had agreed. Amy patted him on the head in a patronising manner. 'Good annoying squirt,' she said happily. She was going to make this time hell for him, because it amused her.

Little did they know, they were being watched.

It was halfway through the fight when it happened. Amy was steamrollering Oliver, her Empoleon and Darkrai combo trashing Oliver's Torterra and Gallade duo (both of them were asleep). Then the screen went dark.

'Great!' Amy exclaimed and sat back. Oliver was confused; his screen had gone dark too, but the power light was still on. Then a face appeared on the screen. Amy froze, staring at it. Rotom slowly emerged from their DS consoles.

It wasn't just happening to them. Across the world, anyone connected to the Pokémon world at that point were being visited by Pokémon. They were appearing out of TV sets, computers, hand held game controllers. The connection between the universes had been made. The portal was opening.

Amy took one look at the Rotom and the strange light coming from her DS and bolted for the door. She barely took three steps before she froze. Now she was linked to the other world there would be no escaping from it. Oliver remained frozen on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the DS screen. Then world around them melted away, lost in blinding white light and soft grey darkness's. Amy found she was tumbling over and over, downwards, and to her horror found she was crying out Oliver's name. Once she realised this she stopped immediately.

She plummeted out of the shifting white and grey and fell with a loud splash into the sea.

When Amy came to, the first thing she realised was that she was very wet and very cold. The second thing she realised was that she defiantly was not in her living room any longer. She was lying on her back on a beach with a dark haired man bending over her.

'Are you alright?' he asked.

'What?'

'I've just dragged you out of the sea; you half drowned. You're alright now?'

'Um… yeah…'

'Another one?' the new voice belonged to a man with blonde flyaway hair. The dark man greeted him briefly before turning his attention back to Amy. 'Come on little one; let's get you back to the lab shall we?'

Two thoughts flashed across Amy's mind. The first was annoyance at being called "little", the second was from fear. Lab, what lab? She struggled against the man who was helping her to her feet, shoved him away from her, tripped over his foot and landed on her hands and knees in the water.

'Whoa! Steady, I'm not going to hurt you,' he cried. Amy wasn't listening; she was too busy staring at her reflection. Her face was smoother, she looked… younger…

'The others are like this,' the blonde man commented, 'they keep saying that they were older… something like that.' He caught Amy's arms and hauled her to her feet.

'Palmer! Careful!' the dark man snapped.

'What?'

'Girls are delicate. Just because Barry won't snap if you fling him around doesn't mean she's made of rock too!'

'Joanne has been having a word with you about handling Dawn, I see,' Palmer laughed. Amy had come to her senses slightly and the mention of a "Palmer" and was now staring at the two men in amazement. She couldn't be… no… impossible…

Palmer started walking away up the beach. The dark man gestured for Amy to accompany him and she staggered along beside him. Palmer waited for them so they entered the town together.

'How many kids this time?' the dark man asked Palmer. Amy looked between them in confusion.

Palmer shrugged. 'Around sixteen, but we're getting reports that their being found all over Sinnoh and in the other regions too. Professor Rowan has gone to see the care and distribution centres in Jubilife, Sunnyshore and Hearthome. They are even saying that Cynthia is taking an interest in these children now. I mean, they are appearing out of nowhere.'

'Excuse me.' The two men stopped and looked round. Amy sniffed and shifted slightly. 'I don't understand. What's happening?'

The men looked at one another as if trying to get the other to explain. Finally the dark one sighed and turned back to Amy. 'This all started ten years ago. People, mainly children, started appearing all over the place. They had no knowledge of how they got there or where they came from. There was a massive emergency meeting from the leading professors: Professors Oak, Elm, Birch, Rowan, Ivy and Juniper, you name them they'll have been there. The children, those that weren't old enough to look after themselves, were assigned homes to stay in. Throughout the year the odd child or two would appear randomly across the world, but nothing big.

'Then the next year, around the same time, children started appearing in massive groups. The older children in the last grouping were more likely to offer homes than residents and so many of the children were distributed to them. The same thing has been happening for the last eight years and no-one can make head or tale of it.

'If things weren't weird enough, the older children have started disappearing. There was a broadcast of the news via the Goldenrod radio station. All the children get to the age of about twenty two then they just disappear.'

Palmer interrupted at this point. 'Do you really think we should be telling her that?' he asked.

The dark man shrugged. 'All the others know,' was all he said.

The two men entered Professor Rowan's lab with Amy trudging after them. To Amy's slight disappointment, Professor Rowan wasn't there to greet them; instead an assistant hurried forward and guided Amy away to a huddle of kids near the back of the lab. Amy frowned slightly at a dark haired kid near the front who looked vaguely familiar. But it couldn't be… he was the wrong age…

The dark haired boy had turned to look at the new comer. A look of shock passed over his face and he stammered out, 'Amy?'

'Amy!' someone repeated and Oliver pushed his way passed the boy and ran to Amy. She pulled him into a tight hug, realised what she was doing and tried to break away from him. To Amy's surprise, Oliver hung on.

'You're shorter than I remember,' Amy commented, staring down at the top of Oliver's head.

'Thanks,' Oliver said crossly, 'we've been separated and tossed into a different universe and all you can comment on is how much I've shrunk!'

'I would have said I've grown, but I know that's not true,' Amy bent closer to Oliver and whispered her fear in his ear, 'I think I'm younger!'

Oliver studied her for a moment. 'You look younger,' he grinned at her, 'but I'm younger so you must be! I'm around five; that makes you…' he counted on his fingers, 'nine!' he finished happily.

Amy whimpered and sank to the ground next to Oliver. The dark haired boy came leant over her and smiled. 'If it's any consolation, everyone else seems to be re-aged. There's even a boy here saying he should be about thirty. He's nineteen now!'

Amy smiled back sarcastically, 'thanks, but it doesn't help.'

The boy shrugged and struck up a conversation with Oliver. With a jolt, Amy realised where she had seen him – he was Jonathan, he was a boy in Oliver's class back in the normal world. He'd come round to their house once or twice with his DS. Whenever he'd been round, Oliver hadn't bugged Amy about Pokémon for a long while afterwards. Amy had never made the connection between Jonathan and Pokémon. Now she had that sorted, there was still the question of where she was.

Amy looked around. At the far end, two dark haired scientists were talking with the two men who had found Amy. If this is Professor Rowan's lab, reasoned Amy, then that must be Lucas/Dawn's dad and Roseanne (professor Rowan's assistants). Seeing that Palmer mentioned Dawn to the dark haired man who found her, he must be Dawn's father, the one who is never seen. Amy took a moment to memorise his face. I wonder why Dawn doesn't mention him…

Suddenly the four adults broke apart; Palmer and Dawn's father heading for the door, the assistants heading back to their work. Oliver and Jonathan came and sat down beside Amy.

'Are you alright?'

Amy looked round. 'Fine,' she managed to choke, 'just fine.'

Oliver and Jonathan glanced at one another. Oliver shuffled up to Amy and placed his head on her shoulder; Amy winced at first but then she reached out and gently stroked Oliver's hair.

'I remember, back in our world, before you knew about Pokémon, you used to do this every night. When mum had put you to bed, you'd always slide out and run over to mine. You'd climb in with me, put your head on my shoulder and I'd always have to carry you back in the middle of the night when you had fallen asleep-'

'Ah!' Oliver interrupted, 'I wondered why you were always cranky.' Amy snorted and pushed Oliver's head away. He grinned at her. Jonathan sniggered in amusement. Amy glared at him before playfully lunging at him. He was too quick for her and darted away.

The doors opened and Professor Rowan walked in. Everyone's heads snapped round and their attention was riveted on him; all the children went silence. Professor Rowan marched up to the front of the crowd, Amy respectfully got to her feet. Rowan's gaze wandered over the upturned faces before he spoke.

'Is anyone here eighteen or older?' There was a pause before three older boys pushed their way to the front. Rowan regarded the proud youngsters for a second and then pointed at the door. 'Outside,' he ordered, 'Officer Jenny will collect your names and ages and then direct you to where you can live until… until you leave us.' The young men, not as proud or hopeful as they had been, traipsed out of the door. Rowan turned back to the rest of the children.

'I would like you to split up: those who are eleven and older to my left, ten and under to my right.'

Amy started to move to Rowan's left when Oliver grabbed her wet top. 'You're going the wrong way,' he hissed.

'I'm sixteen,' Amy hissed back.

'Not anymore,' Oliver pointed out and half dragged Amy to the right hand side group which consisted of only five children, including them. It grew bigger when Rowan went hunting through the teen group, although several ten year olds managed to get away with acting eleven. Rowan then directed his assistants to a group: Lucas' Dad (Amy decided that it must be Lucas' as Dawn's she had met earlier) was looking after the younger group until they found families for them to go to, Roseanne was in charge of the older group and finding them a care home for them to live in. As they would want to leave and explore; this temporary care home would be alright for any child who wants to leave home. Some of the older girls grumbled at this and several of the guys too.

'You can't please everyone,' Rowan muttered as he watched Roseanne lead the group away to the other end of the lab.

'Particularly when it comes to starter Pokémon,' Lucas' father added, referring to something that Professor Rowan must have said earlier.

'What do they mean by that?' Oliver asked Amy.

'Think about it,' Jonathon said before Amy could, 'people from our world have been appearing in the world of Pokémon. Obviously, many people would come to Professor Rowan as in the games he gives us the starters. Clearly, there has been such a rise in numbers since we arrived, that he can't do that anymore.'

'What makes you say that?' Amy asked.

'I watched a guy getting rejected as I arrived,' Jonathon told her, 'I was the first to arrive. There was this dark haired lad arguing with Professor Rowan, demanding his own Pokémon. He stormed out when Rowan wouldn't give him what he wanted.'

'I don't care about Pokémon,' Amy said decisively, 'I don't want one.' Both of the boys, and several others who heard her comment, stared at her in shock. 'I just want to go home!'

'That's not going to happen,' a bigger boy said from behind Amy. She turned to glare at him. The boy regarded her coolly. 'We're all stuck here until we're twenty-two. Didn't you know that? Why waste your time, sulking, when there's this world to explore and only a limited time to do it in?'

'When I get home,' a girl with bucked teeth said to their right. Amy noticed that she was wearing glasses designed to be the colours of Pikachu. The girl adjusted them and continued, 'when I get home, I'm going to sell my story to the publishers, or maybe to company who makes Pokémon. They'd love to hear a story like this.'

'That's unlikely to happen,' Amy remarked.

'Why?' the girl demanded.

'Consider how many people play Pokémon, buy Pokémon, and watch Pokémon. Think about all the people then, who must have been dragged through into this world. Think of all the people who will have their own stories to tell when we get back. Copyright will stop us selling to papers. And I bet the company who create Pokémon get tonnes of letters from fans regarding Pokémon designs, characters for the anime. What are the chances that something like this will actually get picked up on under all the fan junk?'

There was a pause and then a little voice said from the back, 'I wanna go home.'

'Now, now,' Lucas' father said, coming over and awkwardly patting the little boy on the head, 'it'll be alright.'

'How's Lucas?' the big boy from behind Amy asked.

Lucas' father seemed completely unfazed by the question. 'He's fine. But a seven-year-old is always hard to handle.' He walked off.

Amy turned to glare at the boy. 'You shouldn't do that.'

'Why not?' the boy glared back. 'It was clear from his reaction that he's been asked that before.'

Amy was about to reply when Oliver stamped on her foot. 'Please don't make yourself look even more stupid,' he hissed. Amy was about to say something in return, couldn't think of anything to say and so just muttered under breath, 'shut up, squirt!'

Lucas' dad came back over with a long piece of paper. 'I have a few options for where you can stay whilst you are with us,' he said, laying the paper on the table and beckoning the children over. 'Obviously, you can't start your Pokémon journey. You're too young...'

'I'm seventeen where I come from!' the big boy declared.

'Even so, being stuck in the body of a nine year old means that you need to follow the regulations set down to protect young trainers,' Lucas' father said sternly, 'which include the right age for a trainer to receive their first Pokémon. Now,' he directed their attention back to the list, 'we need to choose where you stay.' They all stared at the list, when he had said that he had a few names, Lucas' dad had clearly meant a few.

'I must know,' Lucas' father said as they all stared gloomily at the seven names and numbers on the piece of paper, which now appeared to emphasis the shortness of the list, 'are there any siblings amongst you. There's a nice woman on the lookout for a well behaved pair of children, preferably related, she told me.'

Amy and Oliver looked at one another. 'Oh great,' Amy muttered as Oliver turned back to Lucas' dad excitedly, 'just what I wanted.'

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><p>There we go. Please tell me what you think so I know whether I should continue. Thanks.<p>

Next time: Amy and Oliver's new home. What will it be like? Who will they meet?


	3. New House, New Start

Time to meet the neighbours! ;)

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><p>'Here we go,' Ms Foster said. She was standing with Oliver and Amy in front of a little house on the outskirts of Twinleaf. Amy and Oliver started at it gloomily. This was to be their new home until they returned to their world. Ms Foster was the only person to accept, the only person to initially want, a pair of siblings. A spinster, living alone with her pet Furret, who had died only four months previously, Ms Foster had signed up to the fostering program set up to look after children too young to travel.<p>

Ms Foster unlocked the door and led the way in, Amy and Oliver trailing behind. She led the way through a gloomy hall, the plain wallpaper and photographs emphasising Ms Foster's lonely life.

Ms Foster had come and collected Amy and Oliver from Sandgem on the evening of their arrival. She had come alone and had insisted that she needed no protection from wild Pokémon as she took the children back to her house. Amy and Oliver could feel that she did not like the idea of being looked after, after she had looked after herself for many years.

Ms Foster had proceeded to tell Amy and Oliver her life story on the way back to Twinleaf. She explained how she had originally come from Veilstone city but had decided to move with her fiancé to Floaroma town together for the peace and quiet. Shortly before they did, however, he found his calling as a Pokémon trainer and so set off on a journey. He promised to return and so she promised to wait for him and went ahead with the move.

Ms Foster told them with a sigh about how she had waited for many years but he never returned. She had received Furret when he was a Sentret a year or so into her wait. But apart from that, she heard no more of her fiancé. After becoming the talk of Floaroma, Ms Foster gave up and moved to Twinleaf where no-one knew her.

Amy listened half-heartedly. She felt sympathy for the middle-aged woman who had been clearly been abandoned by her fiancé. She gave Ms Foster more attention than Oliver, who grew bored of the story shortly after he discovered that Furret had died. He complained loudly about the walk, until Amy shut him up with a pinch and a glare.

'It's the only reason I signed up for the fostering program,' Ms Foster told them early on, 'when I lost beloved Furret.'

Amy thought for a moment and then said tentatively, 'don't you think that he sent you a Pokémon so that you might come and join him in the journey?'

'I promised I'd wait for him in Floaroma,' Ms Foster snapped, 'and that is what I did. I did not go gallivanting off like a… like a…' Amy could sense that the poor woman was on the edge of tears and so said quickly, 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Please forgive me.'

'You shouldn't have given in like that,' Oliver grumbled to Amy as they sat in Ms Foster's plain living room, waiting as their host put the kettle on for a cup of tea.

'I didn't want to make her start crying,' Amy said, looking at the old photographs hanging on the wall.

'I wanted her to,' Oliver said, scuffing his feet on the floor, 'then she might have sent us back, and we might have ended up somewhere cool like Jubilife. I can't believe that Jonathon gets to live there whilst we're stuck here!'

Jonathon had been chosen by a rich couple living in a large apartment in Jubilife city. The couple had instantly been attracted to the shy, young boy and had chosen him, much to Jonathon's amazement and Oliver's envy.

'You were excited about living here until Jonathon got to go to Jubilife,' Amy reminded him, 'this is where it all begins is what you said.'

'Yeah,' Oliver admitted, 'but other than the fact Dawn lives here, what else is there in Twinleaf? In Jubilife there's the TV station and the trainer school and place where they make the watch thingies and so much more! Why are we stuck here?'

'Be glad we have a house,' Amy said crossly, 'some of those kids are going to stay in hostels until they are old enough to go travelling.'

'Although why anyone would want to travel is beyond me,' Ms Foster added, entering the room at that precise moment. From the tone of her voice, Amy and Oliver guessed that she had heard their previous conversation. She set the tray down on the table with a little more force that she intended, causing the milk to slop. She poured herself a cup and then settled in a flowery armchair, watching the two children sitting on her sofa.

'Help yourselves,' she said after a while. Although she was referring to the biscuits on a plate, Amy slid forwards and poured a cup of tea for herself. She needed it after everything that had happened that day. Oliver selected a tea biscuit and then, after a gentle reminder from Amy in the form of a kick to the shins, thanked Ms Foster for her generosity.

'It's no problem, dear,' Ms Foster said with a smile, 'my house is your house now.' Neither of the children smiled at that. They sat in awkward silence for a moment or two before Ms Foster tried to start a conversation again. 'I know your names,' she said sweetly, 'but I don't know anything else…' she left the sentence for either Amy or Oliver to finish. The two children glanced at one another unsure of what to say. Finally, Amy put down her tea and smiled at Ms Foster.

'I'm Amy,' she said, 'I'm sixteen… nine,' she quickly corrected herself and continued, 'and I like athletics and I used to be a good gymnast-'

'Until she broke her ankle during a competition and gave it up out of embarrassment,' Oliver said smugly.

'At least I didn't wet myself in front of an audience of parents.'

'You said you wouldn't mention that! You promised!' Oliver screamed as he launched himself at his sister.

Ms Foster sat in surprise as the polite pair on the settee dissolved into a couple of squabbling children fighting each other off so that they could prod the other one back. 'Well,' she said quietly as the two were still going after five minutes, 'is this what it's going to be like?'

A couple of minutes after that, Amy and Oliver stopped when they realised that Ms Foster was no longer in the room. 'Great,' Amy said sulkily, shoving Oliver to the other side of the couch, 'now you've scared her off.'

'I didn't scare her off, you scared her off.'

Amy rolled her eyes. 'Honestly,' she said, 'you're comebacks have got worse since you've been shrunk.'

'You're face has got worse.'

Amy shot up at that insult and towered over Oliver. 'May I remind you, squirt, that you are not as big as you used to be and so I have the upper hand. So I advise you to shut your mouth.' Oliver stood up to combat that, but didn't come higher than Amy's chest. So he did the next best thing he could in a situation like that. He sat back down and started to cry. 'Great,' Amy moaned her herself as Oliver started bawling, 'stop it, Oliver. Stop it!' Oliver started crying harder. 'Oh, stop being such a baby,' Amy said harshly, turning to leave the room. To her surprise, she came face-to-face with a shocked Ms Foster.

There was a moment of silence as Ms Foster and Amy stared at one another in surprise. Then Ms Foster strode around Amy and bent down next to Oliver to check on the crying boy. 'Your bedroom is at the top of the stairs, first door on the right,' she told Amy coldly as she passed, 'I was just putting sheets on the beds.'

'Thank you,' Amy said lamely as Ms Foster pulled Oliver into a tight hug. Oliver smirked over her shoulder. Amy pulled a face at him and stormed out of the room.

Up the stairs, first door on the right. Amy pushed open the door. It opened into a small room with twin beds on one side, a small table in between them, a chest of drawers to one side, a wardrobe and desk to the left as Amy walked in. Fresh towels lying at the foot of the beds and Ms Foster had put a vase of flowers on the drawers. It seemed to Amy like a holiday room, so peaceful and quiet. Through the window she could see into the town as it shut down for the night.

The events of the day were beginning to overwhelm Amy. She collapsed onto the bed nearest the window, without bothering to change or get under the covers, beneath which she could now feel that Ms Foster had laid new pyjamas. Amy felt a sudden burst of homesickness and was asleep before she could think any more about it.

'Morning!' someone yelled in Amy's face.

'Get off me, squirt,' Amy groaned, rolling over so that she faced away from Oliver. This would have worked in her old room, because her bed was positioned next to the wall. Not here though. Oliver merely slid off the bed and squatted down so that he was level with Amy's face. Well, knelt: if he had squatted, his face would have been level with the underside of the bed.

'Do you want bacon?' he asked when Amy opened a bleary eye to work out why her little brother was still there. He looked different…

'What?' Amy said groggily.

'Is that a yes?'

'Yeah?'

'Oh,' Oliver said unhappily and was gone before Amy could say anymore, yelling as he charged down the stairs, 'Amy says yeah.'

Amy slid out of bed, barely registering that she had somehow got into pyjamas and under the covers, and padded across to the wardrobe, still not thinking straight. She had pulled the door open and was staring at its empty contents before she realised anything. Slowly she looked sideways at the mirror on the inside of the door.

A pale, small face stared back. Amy had regained her childhood freckles, she noticed with displeasure. She had hated her freckles. Amy checked what else was different. Her hair was lighter than it was at home, real home she reminded herself. Back there it was more mousey. It was slightly sandy here, like Oliver's. Amy didn't like that comparison either.

There were good things though. No signs of stress, distress or tiredness, things that Amy felt regularly back at home. She felt like she had more energy. There were no bags beneath her hazel eyes. She smiled. Miraculously, her teeth had not returned to the mess they had been. So she wouldn't need the five years of braces then.

'We'll get you some new clothes today.' Amy turned and blinked at Ms Foster who was standing in the bedroom doorway. She tried a smile. She was dressed in the same tan brown that she had been yesterday. Ms Foster tried the smile again and nodded to Amy's bed. 'Your clothes are there, if you want to get changed.'

'Oh,' Amy suddenly made the connection, 'I was looking…' she moved slightly so that Ms Foster could see the mirror.

'I see,' Ms Foster nodded. Awkward pause.

'Listen,' Amy said, 'sorry about last night.'

Ms Foster sighed. 'I understand,' she said, 'it's a big change. And I suppose... I didn't help. I've just... been on my own for too long.' Amy nodded. Another awkward pause. Amy tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled. Ms Foster smiled back. 'Are you coming down? Your bacon is getting cold.' Amy nodded and gestured at her clothes. Ms Foster nodded and let Amy get change.

She arrived down in time to slap Oliver's hand away from Amy's bacon. Oliver sulked and said, 'is Amy coming down?'

Ms Foster nodded, sipping her tea which she had been letting cool. Oliver stuck his fork into his remaining bacon and pulled it around his plate making plane noises. Ms Foster watched him for a while before asking, 'are you always like this?'

Oliver looked up at the point of between dangling his bacon above his mouth. 'Only since my age gave me the excuse,' he said with a grin.

'Pardon,' Ms Foster said.

'We got re-aged,' Amy said grumpily, entering and seating herself at the table. 'Oliver, don't do that,' she said as Oliver's bacon dropped from his fork onto his lap.

Ms Foster stared at the pair as Amy proceeded to scold Oliver further when he picked up the lost bacon and shoved it into his mouth using his fingers. 'So how old are you meant to be?'

'Sixteen,' Amy said without turning round.

Ms Foster turned to Oliver. He grinned. 'Twelve,' he said with a mouth full of bacon. Amy clipped him around the ear, causing Oliver to complain louder, still having not swallowed his bacon. Ms Foster didn't say anything for some time even after Oliver had stopped complaining. When she saw that Amy had finished, Oliver having got bored and wandered off, she collected Amy's plate and left it in the sink.

'Shall we go and get you some new clothes?' Ms Foster suggested. Amy smiled and they left the kitchen together.

'Oliver!' Amy yelled as they walked down the hall to the front door, 'we're going to get new clothes. Coming?' there was the sound of footsteps over their heads and Oliver ran down the stairs heavily. Oliver bounded to the front door, bounced on the spot whilst Ms Foster opened it and then charged out into the open air before the women could. Amy sighed as Oliver raced across the grass stretch before them, and then called out to him, 'oi, squirt! Wait for us!'

'Why do you keep calling him that?' Ms Foster asked as they strolled after him.

Amy looked at her in surprise. 'It's my nickname for him,' she told Ms Foster, 'on account of him being so short.'

Ms Foster frowned. 'But it's not nice,' she said. Before she could get further however, Oliver had come running back crying, 'Amy! Amy! Come and see this!' and had dragged Amy off before Ms Foster could get any further.

Oliver pulled Amy down the road, past the green fields that Amy hadn't expected in Twinleaf town. 'It's so open,' she remarked as Oliver pulled her to a halt a little further down the road.

'Oh, I forgot you didn't watch the anime,' Oliver said, climbing the fence, 'look Amy!' Amy got up on the fence too and looked over at the group on the other side.

A boy and girl, who must have been roughly Oliver's age, were running round and round in circles whilst two adults looked on. It took Amy a while to recognise the foursome in the field but after that it was clear who they were. The little kids were clearly Dawn and Barry and the talking couple were Palmer and Johanna.

'Wow,' Amy said quietly.

'Do you want to meet them?' Oliver asked her.

'Yeah,' Amy said brightly, climbing a rung higher on the fence, 'why not?'

'Over you go then,' Oliver said cheekily, and gave Amy a hard shove in the back.

'I know it's hard looking after Dawn by yourself,' Palmer was saying, 'but he's a grown man Johanna, he wants to live his life.'

'I understand,' Johanna said, 'I just wish he'd come home more often. I don't want Dawn growing up without a father.'

Palmer nodded in agreement and was about to say something else, when a short scream interrupted him. He looked over Johanna's shoulder in surprise. Johanna looked around to see what he was staring at. Dawn and Barry stopped playing and all four watched a young girl topple over the fence and land on her chest. A little boy hung over the side of the fence to laugh, only to leap back and take off down the road as the girl jumped to her feet and ran after him on this side of the fence, screaming at him 'come back here!'

A familiar face hurried into view after the shouting siblings. 'Ms Foster!' Palmer called a greeting. Ms Foster stopped and attempted a smile whilst trying to keep track of the children. The girl had now caught up with the boy.

'Morning,' Ms Foster said cheerily as way of reply but didn't manage to fully remove the edginess out of her voice.

Johanna watched the two children. The girl now had the boy in a headlock. 'Are they family of yours?' she asked. As far as she was aware, Ms Foster had no family.

'No, no,' Ms Foster said breezily. She paused for a moment before adding, 'I joined the fostering program as was suggested by…'

'Excuse me,' a voice interrupted her. They looked round. The girl was holding the boy upside, moving her head from side to side to avoid his kicking feet. She smiled. 'Is there a lake near here?'

'There's Lake Verity,' Johanna suggested, 'but that's quite a walk.'

'Like near near?' the girl asked.

'There's the sea, somewhere in that direction,' Palmer suggested, suddenly remembering where he had seen the girl before. The girl scowled. Johanna and Ms Foster stared at Palmer in surprise as he roared with laughter. 'I fished her out of the sea yesterday,' he explained to them, 'you know,' he added, directing this at the girl holding the boy, who was now obviously her younger brother, 'you still haven't thanked me for doing that.'

The girl's scowl deepened. 'Then I clearly didn't enjoy it.'

'Hang on,' her brother had stopped kicking but was slowly going red in the face, 'you met Palmer. That's so not fair! You got saved by Palmer!'

'Just like the rest of them,' Palmer muttered under his breath.

'Shut up, squirt,' the girl said, loosening her grip on the boy's legs so that he slid through them slightly. The boy's scream was short but loud.

'Don't do that!' he yelled. 'I nearly dropped on my head!'

'Have you considered putting your hands down yet?' the girl asked him. The boy raised his hands above his head and found that they touched the ground. The girl, feeling the weight of the boy lessen slightly, let go of his legs, causing the boy to fall forwards onto the ground. 'Hi,' the girl said, strolling around the heap that was her brother and going and introducing herself to the two kids giggling in the field, 'I'm Amy.' She held out her hand for them to shake.

'Dawn,' Dawn said tentatively, taking a finger and shaking it, only to have her hand knocked away by Barry, who introduced himself loudly, grabbing the hand and shaking it as hard as he could.

'Careful!' Amy said, pulling her hand out of his grip, 'I like that hand.'

'Who's he?' Barry demanded, pointing at the boy.

'That's squirt,' Amy said, 'my kid brother.'

'My name is not squirt!' the boy shouted, storming across the field to the little group.

'Only to those people big enough to call you that, which includes,' Amy pretended to look thoroughly around the field for something, 'everyone!'

The boy stamped on her foot. 'You wait!' he said loudly, 'one day, I'll be bigger than you!'

'Dream on!'

The boy turned to the bewildered Dawn and Barry. 'My name's Oliver,' he told them.

Amy shrugged. 'I prefer squirt.'

'Come on, you two!' Ms Foster called; she sounded weary of the squabbling, 'shopping, remember.'

'Oh yeah,' the two kids trudged away to the gate. When they reached it, Amy looked back. 'See you later?'

'Yeah!' Barry and Dawn both said excitedly. Amy smiled and departed with her moaning brother.

'Nice of Ms Foster to take in two Outsiders like that,' Johanna said as they watched the three walk away.

'Even so,' Palmer said jokily, 'there goes the peace in this neighbourhood.' He laughed until he noticed that Johanna wasn't laughing with him, at which point his laugh quietened slowly.

* * *

><p>Next time: No sooner have Amy and Oliver settle in, Amy turns ten. Will she start her Pokémon journey? What could hold her back? Wait for the next chapter and find out!<p> 


	4. What can stop the start of a Journey

Amy's problems keep coming.

* * *

><p>'Whatever way you look at this, this is still babysitting.'<p>

'I'm not a baby,' Oliver protested.

'Oliver,' Amy said calmly, 'you've become more of baby that before we arrived here.' Oliver stuck out his tongue and ran out of the room as Amy called after him, 'oh, yeah, very mature!'

Three months in, Amy and Oliver had settled into the tranquillity of Twinleaf life. Not that there was much tranquillity since they arrived. Amy was currently sitting outside Ms Foster's house, sketching. It was an old hobby she had recently rediscovered, being not much else to do. So far, she had sketched everything from people to landscapes. She had tried drawing a Starly from her bedroom window, but didn't like the result. Besides, it flew away before she could finish it.

She was currently drawing the road to the house. Oliver wasn't helping. Dawn was sitting not far off, making a daisy chain. Ms Foster and Johanna had gone out for the day, to give Ms Foster a break from looking after the tiresome twosome of Amy and Oliver. Amy could completely understand that. Oliver hadn't been very helpful over the last few months.

Oliver wandered back outside and slumped beside his sister. 'I'm bored,' he declared.

'Why don't you go and play with some of the games that we got you,' Amy asked. She was busy working on the fence. 'You could play with Dawn.'

'I don't want to play with a girl,' Oliver complained.

'You don't have much choice at the moment,' Amy pointed out, 'or do I not count as a girl.'

'You count as a sister,' Oliver said flatly, 'that's different. Beside the games are boring!' He jumped up and tugged at Amy's arm. 'Let's go to the lake!'

'Oliver! Careful!' Amy snapped, removing the tip of her pencil from the paper before it ruined her art. Dawn looked up from her daisy chain.

'I used to go to the lake,' she said quietly, 'with Barry.' She slipped into a depression.

'We're not supposed to remind her of Barry,' Amy hissed at Oliver, standing to go over and comfort Dawn. She paused and looked down at Oliver. 'Why did they move? It's not like that in the games.'

'He does it in the TV series,' Oliver told her, pleased that he knew something she didn't.

Amy went and sat next to Dawn, running her hand through the daisy chain Dawn had been working on for the last half-an-hour. 'Come on,' she said at last, 'it'll be good to get out. Besides, if you constantly avoid somewhere because of memories, you'll never make good memories that will want you to go back.' Dawn nodded. Amy smiled and got up again. 'I'll leave a note for Ms Foster.'

'We're supposed to call her Doreen now, aren't we?' Oliver giggled.

'Oh, yeah, Doreen,' Amy said glumly. She strolled back into the house, found a spare bit of paper and wrote: "Gone to the lake to enjoy the sunshine. Will be back before sundown. I hope you enjoyed your day out. See you soon, Amy."

The three children were soon strolling along the road towards the lake, watching flocks of Starly and listening to their calls.

'I love Pokémon,' Dawn stated after a while.

'We do too!' Oliver said quickly.

Dawn turned to Amy. 'Aren't you ten soon?' she asked, 'so won't you be getting your Pokémon!'

Amy looked away and quickened her pace. Oliver caught Dawn's arm and made her wait whilst Amy walked ahead. 'She turned ten two days ago.'

'Oh, that's what the party was for!' Dawn said, 'but why is she still here?'

'That's a reason Ms Foster's gone to Sandgem,' Oliver explained, 'we got a letter from the lab. Because we're what you call Outsiders, meaning we weren't born into this world, just arrived randomly, we aren't given starter Pokémon. There's just too many of us. There is an Outsider starter programme, but because of the numbers, Outsider trainers don't usually get their starter Pokémon until they're nearly eleven. Ms Foster's gone to Sandgem to complain, see whether the Professor will change his mind.'

'That's so unfair,' Dawn said quietly, watching the figure of Amy has she hurried off. Then she said, 'We should probably walk faster or we'll lose Amy.'

'Race you to Amy!' Oliver yelled and sprinted off, Dawn running after him.

Amy reached the lake first. 'It's beautiful,' she remarked out loud. She kicked off her shoes and bathed her toes in the shallows. Then she got out her pad and pencil and started sketching.

Oliver and Dawn arrived not long after her. Dawn came and sat beside Amy watching her sketch.

'I always love it here,' she told the elder girl, watching her draw ripples on the water, 'it's so peaceful.'

'Do you think many people come here?' Oliver asked, wandering around the small area, 'Outsiders, I mean. They know legendary Pokémon live here.'

'They wouldn't find any, even if they came,' Amy pointed out. She started drawing the far bank. Dawn finally plucked up the courage to ask, 'can I have a go?'

Amy looked up. 'Sketching?' Dawn nodded. Amy smiled. 'Sure, there's another pad and pencils in my bag. Help yourself.'

Whilst the girls drew, Oliver explored this side of the lake. Pretty as the lake may be, he thought, it's not interesting without Pokémon. A small hoot alerted him to the fact that he might not be alone. Looking up, he spotted a Hoothoot settled in the trees.

'Amy!'

'What?'

'Look!' Oliver pointed to the Hoothoot which was watching them keenly.

'So?' Amy said, slightly miffed. 'What am I supposed to do about it? Catch it? With what?'

'Use your head,' Oliver told her pompously, 'Hoothoot is a nocturnal Pokémon. What's one doing out during the day?'

'Daydreaming?' Amy suggested. Dawn giggled.

Oliver stamped his foot in frustration. 'It must belong to someone!'

'What can I do about that?' Amy asked.

'That's not the point,' Oliver yelled, 'if it belongs to someone, where are they?'

Amy paused. She turned to face Oliver and the Hoothoot. 'You may,' she said after a while, 'have a point about that.' She got to her feet, dropped her sketching equipment and picked up her trainers. 'What's up, buddy?' Amy asked the Hoothoot as she approached it and her brother. The Hoothoot ruffled its feathers and took off into the wood. It settled on a tree not far in, turned back and hooted.

'Stay here,' Amy told Oliver and Dawn, before putting on her trainers and following the Hoothoot into the wood. Oliver started to yell after her, but, despite what he said, Amy knew he wouldn't follow.

The Hoothoot flew in and out of the shadows as it led Amy further away from the lake and Oliver's complaints. Finally, the complaining was replaced with a new noise, someone groaning.

'Hello?' Amy called out as the Hoothoot flapped over a bush and took a steep dive. She pushed her way through the bush and tripped over something. Someone moaned louder.

'That hurt!' Amy turned to see a boy barely older than her propped up against a tree with his leg stretched out in front of him. She couldn't see the details clearly due to the patches of sunlight that could get through the trees, but she could see that he was in pain.

'Hi,' Amy said. She knew it was a rubbish introduction after just tripping over him, but her mind had gone blank. 'Sorry. I followed your Hoothoot here. What's wrong?'

'I... I think my ankle's broken,' the boy said. He winced as Amy nudged it.

Amy studied the swollen ankle. 'Do you mind if I take your shoe off?' the boy shook his head. Amy tugged off the trainer and waggled the boy's toes experimentally. When the boy didn't complain too much just gave Amy a weird look, she asked, 'what happened?'

'I went over the ridge,' the boy said, pointing a couple of meters above Amy's head. Amy didn't even bother looking round. She stuffed the boy's trainer back on and said confidently, 'it's not broken; Sprained maybe, but definitely not broken.'

'How can you tell?' the boy asked as Amy stood up.

'Try really breaking your ankle. Trust me; it's not something you forget easily.' Amy offered him a hand and helped the boy to his feet. 'But I advise you keep your weight off it for a while. I'm with a couple of friends by the lake, want to join us?'

Amy cursed inwardly, thinking that was a stupid thing to offer. The boy seemed taken aback momentarily then relaxed into a smile. 'That'll be great,' he said.

'So,' he said a few seconds later as Amy helped him walk in the direction of the lake, 'what's your name?'

'I'm Amy,' Amy told him.

'Eric,' he said in response.

'Are you on your Pokémon journey?' Amy asked, trying to keep the envy out of her voice.

'Yeah.'

'How is it?'

'Lonely,' Eric told her honestly.

'Oh.'

'It's nice travelling with Pokémon,' Eric said quickly, 'but I do miss having a human friend. All the people I seem to meet want to battle me.' He sighed and looked sideways at Amy. 'How old are you?' he asked curiously, 'you must be nearing the start of your Pokémon journey.'

Amy looked away. 'I have to wait slightly longer.'

'Not yet ten?'

'I am ten.'

It was Eric's turn to go, 'Oh.'

Amy sighed unhappily. 'I'm an Outsider,' she told Eric, 'and because there are so many of us, Professor Rowan can't afford to give us starters. So I have to wait until the Outsider starter organisation get around to giving me one.'

'That sucks.'

'Yeah.'

They emerged into the sunlight. Amy helped Eric to the edge of the water where he dropped into a sitting position with a sigh of relief. Finally, Amy got a good look at him. His brown hair was slightly on the shaggy side, but that was how Amy personally preferred it on guys. His eyes were a startling ice blue and his grin made her blush like crazy.

'I've got to check on the others,' she said quickly and hurried to where Dawn was lying on her front, still drawing.

'You doing alright?' Amy asked as she approached. Dawn looked up with a smile and sat up to show Amy proudly what she had done. 'That's very pretty,' Amy said.

She turned at the sound of Oliver's voice and spotted him chatting to Eric. Every so often Eric would laugh and glance over at Amy. Amy's scowl couldn't cover up the fact she was turning very red.

'You're blushing,' Dawn told her.

'No, I'm not,' Amy snapped, turning away from the boys.

'Yes, you are,' Dawn said, leaning over the water to try and see Eric better, 'who's he?'

'Why don't you go and find out,' Amy said sharply. Dawn looked surprised and slightly hurt at Amy's tone and so wandered over to the boys to listen to their talk.

Amy sat by herself, doodling on her drawing and trying to eavesdrop on the conversation starting up to her right. At one point she could clearly hear Dawn and Oliver arguing on what kind of starter Pokémon was best and how was the best way of training them. Oliver was telling dawn that it was all about the power of the Pokémon and your training should emphasis this when a shadow was thrown over Amy's work.

'That's good,' Eric commented as he sat beside Amy.

Amy realised that he was talking about her drawing. 'I used to draw a lot when I was little, before gymnastics and sport took over my life.'

'You do gymnastics!' Eric repeated, sounded impressed.

'I did gymnastics,' Amy corrected him.

'Yeah, Oliver told me about it,' Eric admitted.

'Thought he might,' Amy muttered, tracing a shadow under the trees on the far bank.

'He told me you were pretty good though, before you gave it up.'

'I'm not demonstrating anything,' Amy said firmly.

'Don't want you to,' Eric replied simply.

'Fine.'

'Fine.'

There were a few minutes of silence as Eric stared determinedly across the lake and Amy continued to draw. 'So, when did you start on your journey?' Amy asked at length.

'A couple of months ago,' Eric informed her.

'What have you done?'

'Not much.'

'Caught any Pokémon. I'm assuming that Hoothoot is your starter.'

'You assume correctly. I got it as a birthday present from my parents and my brother.'

'You have a brother? How unfortunate.'

'I have two brothers.'

'Doubly unfortunate!'

'And a sister.'

'Wow!' Amy said sarcastically, 'you must love that!'

'Not really.'

Another moment of silence. 'Why was Hoothoot a present from only one brother?'

'I'm second eldest in my family,' Eric explained, 'my older brother is on his Pokémon journey too. Competed in the Sinnoh league and everything. Came in the top sixteen.'

'That's good.'

'Yeah. He's hoping I'll follow him.'

'Will you?'

Eric sighed. 'I don't know. I don't think that challenging gyms is my kind of thing. I don't like contests either, before you ask. That's more my sister's dream. My younger brother wants to be a breeder. I... I don't know what I want to do.' Eric stared moodily at the sky. 'I don't even know whether I want to go on a Pokémon journey.'

'You are kidding me?' Amy asked. She realised that it had gone very quiet behind her. She glanced round and saw Dawn and Oliver staring at Eric too.

'I don't know,' Eric said glumly. Hoothoot settled on his shoulder and hooted mournfully.

Amy glanced across the lake and then up at the sky. 'The sun's going down,' she commented, 'we should get back. I said we'd be back before sunset.' She gathered up the art things as Dawn and Oliver dolefully agreed and started to leave. Amy glanced back at Eric, who hadn't moved.

'Do you…' Amy started, flushing when Eric turned to her, 'do you want to stay at ours for the night?'

'No, I'll be alright.'

'Okay.' Amy stood wanting to say more but unsure of what to say. 'If you really miss home,' she said at last, 'you should go home and see your family. Tell them that you need time out from travelling until you feel ready. And when you are ready...' Eric raised his eyebrows expectantly as Amy's flush deepened, 'do you want to go travelling together?'

Eric looked surprised by Amy's offer, but smiled. 'That would be nice,' he said, 'as friends, right?'

'Of course,' Amy said, slightly bewildered. Eric grinned. Then his grin faltered.

'What if you get your starter Pokémon before I'm ready?'

'I'll keep Oliver and my foster guardian posted about where I am. You can catch up with me via them.'

'Cool,' Eric said, and he actually sounded as if he thought it was.

'Great,' Amy smiled bashfully.

'Amy!' Oliver yelled, reappearing through the trees, 'are you coming?'

'Yeah!' Amy called back and, with a final smile at Eric, ran through the trees to the waiting Oliver and Dawn.

'You really like him,' Oliver commented as they walked back.

'Oh, shut up, squirt!'

'Have a nice day?' Ms Foster asked as Amy and Oliver sat down at the round dinner table. Amy nodded noncommittally. Ms Foster placed the vegetables on the table and smiled at Amy. 'I have some good news for you.'

Amy looked up sharply. 'Will I be getting a starter Pokémon?'

Ms Foster's smile widened. 'You will be,' she said brightly, 'and we won't have to be waiting for the Outsiders Committee to get around to it.' Amy bounced on her chair excitedly. Ms Foster raised her hands to calm her down. 'You are going to have to wait, but Professor Rowan has said, because he has no ten-year-old trainers registered for next year, as soon as he gets his next three starters, he'll let you choose.'

'Registered?' Oliver repeated as Amy asked excitedly, 'how long?'

Ms Foster decided to answer Oliver first, 'because there are so many Outsiders wanting starter Pokémon, parents have started registering their children on their ninth birthday, ready for the following year. Outsiders can't do this of course because they have no parents here.'

'How long?' Amy asked again.

Ms Foster paused before admitting, 'six months.'

Amy sank in her chair. Six months! 'I'm not hungry,' she said sadly, getting up from the table and exiting the kitchen. Ms Foster and Oliver watched her leave sadly.

Amy sat on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest, staring out of the window. She didn't acknowledge Oliver as he entered, but continued staring fixedly ahead of her.

There was only one consolation she could see in this situation: Eric will definitely be ready to continue his journey in six months, won't he?

* * *

><p>Next time: Amy and Oliver visit Johnathon in Jubilife. What has the younger boy been getting up to? How will Amy's experience at Trainer school work out as she is the only ten year old without a pokémon?<p> 


	5. Dealing with the Jealousy

I know in the anime they didn't include the school in Jubilife, but this is going to be a mixture of the games and the anime.

* * *

><p>'Here we are! Here we are! Here we are!' Oliver cried, bouncing up and down in the back of the bus.<p>

'Oliver! Calm down!' Amy yelled as her brother's bouncing shook the seat and disrupted her doodling.

'Jubilife!' Oliver shouted, pointing out of the window at the city appearing over the hill.

'Yes,' Amy said calmly, finishing the drawing of the Glameow curled up on a woman's lap, 'Jubilife.'

It was a month or so after Amy had met Eric by the lake. She had been sinking deeper and deeper into a depression and so, to cheer her up and get her out of the house, Ms Foster had organised for Amy and Oliver to go and visit Jonathon, to whom Oliver had been writing for the last few weeks. That was why they were now stuck on the bus to Jubilife to spend a week with Jonathon and his new parents in their apartment in Jubilife.

The bus dropped everyone off at the main bus shelter in the centre of the city. Amy could see on the other side of the road a group of trainers chatting merrily as they set off on an adventure. A Pichu wandered between their legs and a Chatot floated on the breeze over their heads. Amy was filled with a sudden desire to run after them, to join them, to travel with them, when someone called her name and brought her dreams crashing back down to earth.

'Oliver! Amy!'

'Jonathon!' Oliver shouted and the two boys collided in their rugby-scrum of a hug.

Amy's eyes were drawn to the couple in their late twenties who were standing just behind Jonathon. She smiled and held her hand out. 'Please to meet you,' she said, 'I'm Amy.'

'Delighted,' the woman said, taking the hand gently. She had the gorgeous dark brown eyes, Amy noticed, the colour of dark chocolate, and the most amazing red-gold hair. Amy was seriously jealous. The woman smiled a perfect smile and introduced herself, 'my name is Belia.'

'Beautiful,' Amy translated and then blushed when Belia raised her slender eyebrows, 'it means beautiful. I had a friend with a similar name.'

'She was horrible though,' Oliver announced loudly, 'she called me a cute squirrel.'

'She said you looked like a cute squirrel.'

'But I'm not a cute squirrel.'

Amy sighed and attempted to smile at the bemused Belia, 'I apologise in advance for whatever my brother does. He's bound to do something stupid.'

'Who are you?' Oliver asked rudely, staring up at Belia's husband.

The man laughed as Amy hissed, 'be polite!'

'The name's Jarrett,' he told Oliver. Amy looked him up and down. He looked as beautiful as Belia, with sleek dark hair, as dark as his wife's eyes, and glittering blue eyes.

'Our apartment's this way,' Belia said and the adults led the children away from the bus shelter and into the higher end of Jubilife.

Amy walked in the middle, behind the talking couple and in front of the boys. She felt very alone listening to both conversations. The boys were talking about what they had done since arriving in the Pokémon world.

'It's very boring in Twinleaf,' Oliver was saying, 'apart from Dawn; there are barely any kids there. Ms Foster tried sending us to the kindergarten, but I got bored very quickly. They were all bigger than me and Kenny is louder than he appears in the anime. The lake is nice, but there are no Pokémon there.'

Belia and Jarrett directed them into a large lobby and across to the elevator on the opposite side. Amy silently remarked on how posh looked. Gold edged tables, solid silver paperweights and smart uniforms for the doormen and receptionist.

'Its nice living in Jubilife,' Jonathon said as the elevator doors opened and they all got in, 'I get to go to the proper Pokémon school and sometimes trainers come in and we get to watch them battle. I had a birthday party and invited everyone in my class. We went to the cinema and one of my friends was sick on all the candy he ate.'

Amy watched as Jarrett swiped a card in the place of pressing a button and the lift began to ascend.

'We had a massive party to celebrate Amy's tenth birthday,' Oliver boasted, pulling faces in the floor to ceiling mirror at the back of the lift, 'we invited the whole village!'

He had to bring that up, Amy thought crossly, maybe Jonathon won't notice.

Jonathon stared at the back of Amy's head. 'Amy's ten?' he said, 'why hasn't she got her own Pokémon?'

'Um…' Oliver said, suddenly realising what he had just said, 'well…'

'Outsiders don't get starter Pokémon,' Amy said loudly. Ahead of her, Belia and Jarrett stopped talking and looked down at Amy in surprise. 'There are just too many of us. I got a letter on my birthday from Professor Rowan explaining that. Only trainers with real parents can get starter Pokémon because otherwise the demand is just too great. You might get one Jonathon, if your "parents" decide to register you on your ninth birthday. But I don't get that luxury. I either have to wait for the Outsider's committee to get around to giving me a starter or I have to wait until there is a small demand at the lab.'

There was a pause.

'Amy,' Jonathon said in a small voice, 'I should probably tell you…'

'Don't want to hear it,' Amy said roughly as the lift doors opened. She pushed past the adults and strode into the room beyond.

It was a wide, oval shaped room, richly decorated and filled with plush sofas, a big television, coffee tables and many ornamental statues. But it was something, sitting on a wide squashy cushion that made Amy stop dead.

The Munchlax slid off the cushion and waddled towards the cluster of people. 'Please, Jonathon,' Amy whispered, 'please, tell me that's not yours.'

'I…' Jonathon didn't know what to say. The Munchlax started sniffing at Amy's trainers.

'Where am I staying?' Amy growled.

'I'll show you,' Belia said and the women quickly hurried away toward a door to the right.

Oliver bent down and patted the Munchlax on the head. 'Is it yours?' he asked Jonathon once Amy was out of the room.

Jonathon nodded miserably. 'Yeah,' he said, 'I needed one for Pokémon School. Belia and Jarrett agreed to get me one as long as it was easy to look after and wouldn't make a mess of the house. Apart from eating loads, Munchlax seems to do that.'

'Amy's going to be in a mood for the rest of the day,' Oliver muttered as Jonathon led him towards his bedroom in which Oliver would be staying, 'pity, I hoped we could see the park later.'

* * *

><p>Amy didn't like to admit it, but the apartment was nice. Her bedroom was clearly the smallest in the house, but it was still bigger than the room she shared with Oliver in Twinleaf. The bed was somewhere between a double bed and a single. The wardrobe could have fit her clothes in three times over and she had a bathroom which she shared with Oliver and Jonathon just down the hall.<p>

Amy avoided Munchlax at lunch in the kitchen, which was about as big as the whole of Ms Foster's ground floor. She barely at anything and only agreed to come to the park on the little hope that it got her away from the Munchlax. She was out of luck as Jonathon decided it would be a good chance to give Munchlax a run around.

They went to the park and Oliver and Jonathon spent a fun half an hour throwing an apple between then and watching Munchlax run from one boy to another in the hope of food. Amy sat on a bench and watched in a gloom. And then Oliver threw the apple to her.

Amy caught it out of habit. Then she realised what this meant. Munchlax turned his eyes upon her and they stared at one another. Munchlax crept forwards. Amy frowned and reached back to throw the apple. Munchlax stiffened. Amy froze and then held the apple out to Munchlax. Munchlax snatched it from her hands and began munching it happily.

'Amy!' Oliver complained. Amy was too busy watching Munchlax. Slowly, she reached out and patted him on the head. Munchlax made a noise of pleasure and continued eating. Amy smiled and then began to laugh. 'Amy!' Oliver said again, 'you gave him the apple.'

'I did, didn't I?' Amy said absentmindedly, still patting Munchlax's head. What had it been? She wondered as Oliver and Jonathon was distracted by a couple of youngsters from Jonathon's class in Pokémon School. Something in Munchlax's eyes had made her stop before she threw it.

That evening, Amy sat closest to Munchlax, watching him as he ate and smiling all the time.

* * *

><p>'This is so cool!' Oliver yelled, leaping along the pavement and then turning and racing back to the small group, 'we're going to Pokémon School!'<p>

'Calm down, squirt,' Amy said fondly.

'Pokémon School!' Oliver shouted.

'Squirt!' Amy cried, 'get back here!'

'You're not fun!' Oliver moaned, slinking over to Amy's side.

'Have a nice day,' Belia said to them at the gates.

'Thanks mum,' Jonathon said, kissing Belia on the cheek. Belia flushed and walked away quickly.

'Do you think we'll think a Pokémon battle?' Oliver asked excitedly as the students lined up ready to enter. Amy was too busy studying the different Pokémon. None of them were too powerful, Amy noticed, but then again, none of the students were over the age of ten.

The first lesson was an art lesson. Jonathon had explained to Amy and Oliver that there was a large range of things covered in the school, because there was a large range of things that trainers could become if they found that battling wasn't for them.

Each trainer let out their Pokémon and proceeded to draw them, or paint them. Amy and Oliver soon stood out as the only people with no Pokémon. The teacher, who had been forewarned about this, told them to pair up with another trainer. Oliver was instantly at Jonathon's side.

Amy looked at the different Pokémon. She wasn't too keen on drawing Pokémon at that moment. She had had plenty of practice already. Instead, she asked the teacher for a canvas and flicked through her sketchbook. She was looking for an interesting landscape sketch to turn into a painting. She was thinking about presenting it to Belia and Jarrett as a way of thanking them for having them.

She soon found a sketch of Mt Coronet she had drawn from her bedroom window at their apartment. She had had to imagine what the mountain did near the bottom as that was covered by other apartments, but it would look interesting with wisps of cloud around the top. With a determined image in her head, Amy began.

It took Amy a while to realise what she was painting and as soon as she did, she stopped. But it was too late now. Amy continued with a pained look on her face, which is why the teacher came over and asked her what was wrong. And then she looked at the painting.

'What is that?' she asked. Everyone looked up from their sketches of their Pokémon, or trying to keep their Pokémon to stay still, and stared Amy who went red.

'Mt Coronet,' she said in a small voice.

'And since when did Mt Coronet have a big purple cloud on top of it,' the teacher asked in a controlled voice.

'It doesn't,' Amy said and then added, 'yet.'

'Yet,' the teacher repeated.

Amy took a deep breath and looked directly into the teacher's eyes. 'Yet,' she said again.

The teacher sighed. 'May I ask why it will have a big purple cloud at its peak?'

Amy was about to answer truthfully, when a small thought made her stop. Will they think her mad? Finally she said, 'I don't know, but I know it will. I see it in my dreams.'

'I do too! And I know why,' a small voice piped up and the teacher looked down at Oliver, who sat up and continued, 'when the dist…' he stopped as Amy shook her head violently, desperately trying to silence him. He turned to Jonathon and ended simply, 'it will, won't it?'

Jonathon purposely didn't look up from his sketch. 'Maybe…' he murmured.

The teacher sighed. 'I think we'll finish it there, class,' she said, 'pack up.' She gave Amy and Oliver disapproving looks as she strode away.

Oliver came over and stared at Amy's painting. 'That is actually really good,' he said encouragingly. Jonathon joined him and agreed. The siblings turned on him. 'Why didn't you back us up?' Oliver demanded.

Jonathon glanced at the rest of the class, dipped his head and said in a low voice, 'the others don't know I'm an Outsider and I'd like to keep it that way.'

'Why?' Amy insisted, 'you should be proud of where you came from.'

Jonathon shook his head. 'That's easy for you to say,' he said quietly, 'you live in Twinleaf, where there a so few villagers that it makes no difference where you came from. But in the city, if you're an Outsider, they know and they treat you differently.' He looked imploringly at the two and said in a sad voice, 'I only want to fit in.'

Oliver and Amy watched him as he hurried away. Oliver turned back to the painting. 'It's a good likeness,' he said, 'good idea coming up with that dream excuse.'

'That wasn't an excuse,' Amy said, 'I do dream about that, although I know I probably won't be here to witness it. It's due to happen in about three or four years time, right?'

'Right,' Oliver agreed, although he didn't sound like he believed Amy on the whole dream thing.

* * *

><p>The trainer appeared after lunch. This caused great excitement from most of the students. On the other hand, Amy began to get depressed again.<p>

'It's not fair,' she whispered to Oliver as the trainer passed them by on his way to the top of the class, 'I should be doing this.'

The teacher introduced the trainer to the class, but Amy wasn't listening. She wasn't listening as the teacher asked for a volunteer to test their skill and the class was filled with raised hands. The only time she started listening was when the trainer said, 'I challenge her!' and pointed at her.

Amy looked over at him coolly, 'can't.'

The trainer smirked, 'why not?'

'Don't have a Pokémon,' Amy said, a slight chill to her voice now.

The trainer scoffed. 'You must be ten therefore you must have a Pokémon. Come,' he mocked a gasp and jeered, 'are you scared?'

'No,' Amy said, 'I honestly don't have a Pokémon.'

The trainer snorted. 'Fine,' he said, 'coward.'

'Sorry?' Amy said dangerously.

The trainer pretended to examine his fingers. 'If it really frightens you then fine, I'll just challenge someone else.'

'She really doesn't…' a younger girl began.

'She doesn't need you to speak for her,' the trainer snapped. He jabbed a finger at Amy. 'Any ten-year-old who doesn't have a Pokémon is weak and pathetic because they clearly can't control anything, even a pathetic Bidoof.' Oliver rested a hand on Amy's arm; she was shaking with rage.

Amy shook his hand off and stood up. She wished looks could kill, she desperately wished it so. She strode to the front of the class and glared at the trainer. The trainer tried to keep his smirk on his face but was becoming increasingly aware that he might have overstepped the mark. Amy raised an eyebrow slightly and punched him on the nose.

'Weak?' Amy repeated, 'pathetic?' Although she wasn't shouting, it had the effect as if she was. 'Is that weak and pathetic? I don't have a Pokémon like I don't have parents. I'm not that lucky. I'm an Outsider and I am proud of it.' Then she turned on her heel and marched out of the door.

She was three streets away before she actually stopped and thought about what she had done. Amy slowed to a halt and shuddered as the tears that she had been holding back started to flow. Despite what she had said in the classroom, right now she hated being an Outsider.

Amy slumped on the nearest step and let herself cry. She cried because she didn't have a Pokémon. She cried because she wasn't going on her Pokémon journey. She cried because she was stuck in Twinleaf and, despite her claims that she was fine there, she was terribly bored.

Amy was soon aware that someone had come and sat beside her. Amy took a deep sniff and looked round. The boy sitting next to her must have been about fourteen. His hair was black, with highlights of midnight blue. He glanced round at her and his eyes were a blue as dark as his hair. Amy sniffed again and wiped her nose on the back of her hand.

'Stupid to ask whether you're alright, isn't it?' the boy said with a grin. Amy sniffed and tried a smile, agreeing with him. They sat together in silence. 'Why were you crying?' the boy asked, 'just out of interest.'

'I…' Amy didn't really want to tell him. Finally she said, 'I want to go on my Pokémon journey.'

'Don't have a Pokémon?' the boy asked. Amy looked shocked and shook her head. 'Been there, done that, got the battle scar.'

'Really?' Amy murmured.

'Yeah,' the boy said, leaning on his knees, 'had to wait for the committee. I did try. Borrowed a Pokémon from my hostel carer and went to Professor Rowan myself. Still didn't get anything.'

'You're an Outsider too,' Amy said, and then cursed. She shouldn't have added the "too".

'Yeah,' the boy said, fixing her with a smile and a solemn stare. They sat in silence for a while. 'Do you want me to catch you one?' the boy offered at length.

'What?'

'A Pokémon? Do you want me to catch you one?'

'That's already been offered to me,' Amy admitted, 'thanks but no thanks. I'd like to choose my Pokémon.'

'If you're waiting for the committee,' the boy said harshly, looking away, 'my advice is: don't bother.'

'Why?' Amy asked despite herself.

'They could offer you anything,' the boy explained, 'they don't care. They take any Pokémon Outsider trainers offer for starters. It means it's not likely to be good. Outsiders, I'm not afraid to admit, are greedy trainers. They like to keep the most powerful Pokémon for themselves. Its how we've learnt Pokémon should be. I'm lucky that there was Duskull.'

'But that's not true,' Amy said, 'you only have to look at the anime to know that powerful Pokémon are not necessarily the best. If that had been any other trainer, they would have evolved Pikachu to get the more powerful Raichu. But Pikachu has proven himself time and time again that it's not all about power.'

'I suppose,' the boy said, sliding the poké ball he had been playing with back into his bag. He glanced sideways at Amy and said with a smile, 'maybe you're different from the rest of us.'

Amy laughed, 'I don't think so. Whatever Pokémon I catch I will train and evolve to be as powerful as they can be. Underneath, I think all Outsider trainers are the same. Besides, I might not have to wait too long before I get a starter.'

'Why's that?' the boy said, humouring her.

'Because Professor Rowan says that there's no ten-year-old trainers registered to collect starter Pokémon next year and so I can choose a starter when the next three arrive at his lab.'

'Really?' the boy said in amazement, 'you might have better luck than I did when I went. I wish you luck.'

'Thank you,' Amy said, touched.

They sat in silence for a while. 'But you're not going to be a very good trainer by sitting here, are you?' the boy asked teasingly, clambering to his feet.

Amy suddenly came very interested in the paving slabs. 'No,' she said uncertainly.

'So where do you live?' the boy asked.

'Not in Jubilife. I'm staying with a friend. And... I'm lost,' Amy confessed.

'That's problematic,' the boy said thoughtfully. He thought and then asked, 'do you know any features nearby that might help us find where you're staying.'

'There's a park not far away.'

'With a giant climbing frame in the shape of a Snorlax?'

'That's it,' Amy said excitedly, jumping to her feet, 'do you know where it is?'

'Sure,' the boy said, 'this way.' He led the way through the streets that Amy didn't recognise and then onto one she did and at the far end was the park.

'That's it,' Amy yelled, racing to the railing and peering over, 'thank you.' She turned to thank the boy further but he had disappeared.

'Amy!' came a relieved shout and Jarrett hurried into view. 'You've had us so worried.'

'I'm sorry,' Amy said, still searching for the boy, but he had disappeared into the crowds.

* * *

><p>Remember him, he will become important later on!<p>

Next time: Amy will be getting a Pokémon. But there's a catch. What is it? Which one will she pick? Stick around and find out!

Review, please!


	6. Starter Pokémon Crazy

Amy is finally getting a Pokémon! Soon the journey will begin!

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokémon or Professor Rowan. Own pretty much everyone else...

* * *

><p>Oliver was awoken by a scream of excitement. He was amazed that Amy was up before him. He was even more surprised by his response when Amy came running through their bedroom door, causing the door to whack the wall as it swung violently backwards on its hinges; he rolled over, covered his head and tried to go back to sleep.<p>

'Oliver!' Amy screamed.

'What?' Oliver moaned.

'Look!' Amy stuffed something under his nose. Oliver took a while to register the postcard. 'It's from Professor Rowan. I'm going to get a starter Pokémon!' Amy ran twice around the bedroom and then grabbed her trainers and shouted, 'I have to tell Dawn!' as she ran from the room.

Oliver had expected this kind of reaction from him, not from Amy. Sleepily, he climbed out of bed and pulled his dressing gown on as he stumbled down the stairs. Ms Foster was waiting for the toast to pop.

'Someone's excited this morning,' she remarked as Amy raced down the road towards Dawn's house. Then she turned and saw Oliver slid onto a seat and added, 'and someone is very tired.'

'Course I'm tired,' Oliver said with yawn, 'I was up watching Hoothoot with Amy last…' then he realised what he was saying.

'Pardon?' Ms Foster said, folding her arms.

'Um…' Oliver said. Bother, he thought.

* * *

><p>Amy and Dawn were jumping with joy on the veranda when Ms Foster arrived at Dawn's house. 'Amy's getting a Pokémon!' they were shouting at the tops of their voices, 'Amy's getting a Pokémon!'<p>

'Amy,' Ms Foster called, 'can I have a word with you?'

Amy jumped down the steps and stood in front of Ms Foster, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 'Yeah!'

'What's this I've heard from Oliver about midnight Hoothoot watches?'

Amy cursed. 'I didn't want him to come,' she said by way of explanation, 'but he said he'd shout the house down if I left without him and knowing Oliver, he probably would have done.'

'That's not explained why you were doing it.'

'I was drawing them,' Amy explained, pulling her sketchbook out of her satchel, 'I was hoping to see a Noctowl too, but no such luck.'

Ms Foster stared at the sketches as she turned the pages. 'These are very good,' she admitted, 'but,' she shut the book with a snap and pointed a corner at Amy, 'that doesn't make it right for you to do it.'

'I'm sorry,' Amy said, 'I won't do it again.'

'You won't need to do it again soon,' Ms Foster said, a smile creeping across her face despite her anger, 'you'll be on your journey. I am so proud of you.' She pulled Amy into a tight hug and Amy hugged her back.

'Does this mean that you're leaving, now?' Dawn asked, leaning over the banister.

'Not quite,' Amy said, 'the Professor asked me to come to his lab at the end of the week.'

'So we can have a party before you go,' Dawn suggested.

'If you like,' Amy grinned.

Dawn sighed and rested her chin on her hands. 'I want to start my Pokémon journey.'

'Just wait,' Amy said reassuringly, 'one day you will. Just give it three more years.'

* * *

><p>'Have you got your bag packed?'<p>

'Yes, Doreen.'

'Have you got your running shoes?'

'Yes, Doreen.'

'Have you got…?'

'I probably have, Doreen.'

Amy stood in the front doorway, itching to get started. Ms Foster was standing the other side, going through the list she had made for Amy. Oliver was standing behind Amy listing unhelpful things like, 'have you got your nose? Have you got your fingernails? Have you got your brain? Sorry, you don't have one!'

Amy swatted at him, playfully. 'Shut up, squirt,' she called but for once she didn't mean it.

Dawn and Johanna were waiting at the front of the porch as Amy approached. 'Here,' Johanna said, offering Amy a present. Amy unwrapped it slowly and revealed a small notebook and pen. 'I understand that you have your sketch book but I thought you would like something extra to keep track of all your adventures,' Johanna said.

'Thanks, it's great,' Amy said, hugging both of them, 'wish me luck.' With that she set off at a sprint down the road. Dawn ran part of the way behind her and then stood laughing and waving as Amy ran off.

Amy stopped running when she reached the first signpost. 'Lake Verity and Sandgem town,' Amy read, 'I know which way I'd like to go.' She started running and then stopped. She could hear something.

'Hoo hoo,' the noise went.

'Strange,' Amy said and listened harder.

'Hoot hoot,' the noise went again.

'A Hoothoot!' Amy exclaimed and then it rounded the corner with someone very familiar, 'Eric!'

Eric looked up from the map in surprise as Amy raced down the road and leapt at him. Her hug collided with his chest and sent the pair sprawling backwards. Beneath her, Amy heard a moan of, 'ow…'

'Sorry,' she said, hurriedly standing up and pulling Eric. 'Sorry,' she said again, dusting him down. 'Sorry…'

It was Eric's turn to pull her into a hug. He began to laugh. 'I don't believe anyone has been this excited to see me since I returned home.'

'How are the family?'

'Fine,' he said, 'and I'm guess,' he looked at me hopefully, 'that someone has their first Pokémon.'

'No,' Amy admitted.

'No,' Eric repeated, slightly disappointed.

'But…' Amy sang, 'someone's going to get it. Come on!' so saying, she grabbed hold of Eric's arm and began to drag him in the direction of Sandgem town.

The two entered together, chatting animatedly. Amy insisted that Eric told her everything that he had done in the last five months, which took approximately five minutes. Eric told Amy to do the same. Amy's took even less. This made Eric laugh.

'So you've pretty much spent the last five months waiting for a Pokémon.'

'Yeah,' Amy said with a sigh. 'Sad isn't it.'

'So where is this lab?' Eric asked.

'It's right…' Amy began and then realised that Sandgem town was rather different than the game version. 'Hang on; there was a map on the postcard.' Eric sighed as Amy pulled her sketchbook from her bag and slid the postcard from between its pages. 'Which way up does it go?' Amy asked.

Eric took it from her, held it one way and then another before pointing down the nearest road, 'we need to go down there.'

'Alright,' Amy said, determined to stay in control of the situation. She snatched the postcard from Eric's hand as she passed and continued to stride away. Eric followed her, grinning and whistling, Hoothoot perched on his arm.

The lab was obvious if you knew where to look. Amy raced up the path towards the tall building but stopped when someone came out in the opposite direction. It was a boy, who looked about fifteen. He had bright blonde hair, streaked with red and was shouting something over his shoulder. He pushed roughly past Amy and Eric and continued down the hill and out of sight.

Amy shrugged and pushed open the door to the lab; Eric followed. A familiar man with dark hair hurried forwards to greet them.

'Welcome to the lab,' Lucas' father said welcomingly. He stopped when he spotted Amy. 'Don't I know you?'

'I was here about six months ago,' Amy smiled, 'probably very wet.'

'An Outsider,' Lucas' father said, 'what are you doing here?'

'I've come to collect my starter.'

'We don't give Outsiders starters,' Lucas' father said slowly, 'sorry.'

'But I have an invite,' Amy said, waving the postcard in the air.

'I'll deal with this,' someone said and Professor Rowan stepped into the lab, 'bring out the starter Pokémon please.' Lucas' dad nodded and hurried off. Rowan turned back to Amy and examined her carefully.

Lucas' dad rolled out the cart and Rowan showed Amy the three poké balls inside. 'I don't think I need to tell you which starter Pokémon is which.'

Amy shook her head proudly. 'I already know. Starting on the left they are Chimchar, Piplup and Turtwig.'

Rowan nodded. 'That's right. Now, Amy, I need you to understand something.' Professor Rowan bent down so that he was eyelevel with Amy. 'I'm not giving you the Pokémon you choose, yet. I'm loading it to you.'

'Loaning it?' Amy queried.

Professor Rowan nodded, 'for about a week.'

'A week? I can't get very far in a week! What's all this about?'

'Sir,' Eric said, stepping forwards, 'we don't understand. Why aren't you giving Amy a Pokémon like you give other trainers?'

Professor Rowan sighed. 'Our experiences, and by "our" I mean all professors who hand out starter Pokémon, our experiences of Outsider trainers do not put young Amy here in a good light. Many such trainers are known to be ruthless to their Pokémon and some have gone as far as abandoning them.'

'I would never…' Amy started to cry but Rowan interrupted her.

'It's just to be cautious. Just for a week, I'll let you have a Pokémon and at the end of the week, you can come back and some me what you can do. If it's impressive, if the Pokémon seems to like you, for remember that Pokémon are the best judges of people, then you can keep it.'

Amy nodded and approached the table. Professor Rowan reached for the poké balls. 'Do you want me to release the Pokémon so you can get a good look at them?'

'No, its okay,' Amy said, 'I can't choose like that.' To be honest, Amy thought, I can't choose one either. 'Eric, I need your help.'

'What's wrong?' Eric asked.

'I'm going to close my eyes and I want you to swap the Pokémon around. I'll pick one at random and that will be my starter. It's not a very good way of choosing but I can't decide any other way. I know that they all would make brilliant starter Pokémon.'

'Um…' Eric said, surprised by Amy's method, 'okay.' Amy turned her back and closed her eyes. She could hear Eric picking up Poké balls and moving them around. Temptation got too much for her and she opened one eye. She thought she saw someone looking through the window, but then Eric tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around.

The three Poké balls were lined up as if they had not moved. Amy's hand wavered slightly before she picked up the ball on the furthest right. 'I choose this one,' she said, uncertainly.

'Great,' someone behind her said as the doors slid open. Amy turned as the boy from earlier shoved her backwards. Amy fell into Eric who was knocked backwards into Professor Rowan. They all landed on the ground to see the boy pick up the last two Poké balls and run back out, Lucas' father shouting after him.

'Come back!' Professor Rowan yelled, staggering to his feet.

'Come on, Eric!' Amy cried, sprinting to the door.

'Why?' Eric asked, 'they're not yours.'

Amy rotated to face him. 'No,' she said, 'but they could have been someone else's. Just because they didn't get chosen today doesn't mean that they will never get picked. They could one day belong to a trainer who chose them, not stole them.'

Eric sighed. 'Fine, let's go.'

The two ran out after the blonde boy. He had a good head start and was several metres ahead of them. But then he slowed to a halt. Another boy, larger than the first, muscular and with a shaven head had stepped forwards. He held out his hand. The blonde boy dithered for a moment and then placed one of the Poké balls into his companion's hand.

'They were working together!' Amy yelled. The two boys looked round in surprise. Now that they saw Eric and Amy on their tail they sped off. The lagging twosome had to speed up in order not to lose sight of the elder boys.

'That's strange,' Eric muttered as they ran.

'What is?' Amy asked, despite the pain in her chest.

'They're heading towards Twinleaf and the lake,' Eric said. Amy looked about them and realised that he was right.

'Maybe they got confused,' she suggested, 'even so, we have them now.'

* * *

><p>No, it's probably not what you're thinking. You'll see...<p>

Next time: Amy and Eric take on the thugs to get the Starters back. Will the succeed? More importantly, which Starter is on which side? Stay tuned to find out!

Please review!


	7. Taking the Plunge

This is my first attempt at describing a battle sequence. I hope it's not too bad.

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><p>The two boys were thoroughly lost. They had been trying to lost the two twerps who had dared followed them and had lost their way in the process. A clicking noise alerted them to the fact that they might not be alone. 'Ariados,' the blonde boy hissed, reaching for his Poké ball.<p>

'Leave it,' his partner said, slapping his hand away from his belt, 'it will delay the kids.'

'There they are!' someone shouted and the girl tore after them through the bushes.

'Come on,' the bigger boy ordered and the two started running again.

'It's a pity because she is kind of cute,' the blonde murmured. The bigger boy glared at him. 'Not that I've noticed,' the blonde immediately added.

Amy reached the point where the boys had been as the Ariados pounced. Amy screamed. The Ariados got about half a metre from her face and then was knocked backwards. Amy opened her eyes. Hoothoot was hovering protectively in front of her.

'Amy!' Eric yelled, 'go on ahead, I'll take care of this.' Amy nodded and carried on running. She couldn't see the boys now, but could hear them crashing through the undergrowth and every so often would catch glimpses of blonde hair.

The boys tumbled down a slope, narrowly avoiding the trees at the bottom. Amy slid down after them. They dodged through trees and smashed through bushes until the boys fell through a gap in the trees and into the bright sunlight.

In front of them stretched Lake Verity, glittering in the sunlight. The blonde boy stared across it and cursed violently, stamping the ground. Behind them, Amy emerged. She glanced behind her and then called to them, 'take a wrong turning somewhere?'

They spun around. The blonde boy was panting heavily. The bigger boy straightened up and reached for his Poké ball.

'Give them back,' Amy demanded.

'Come and get them,' the bigger boy said, sending the Poké ball spinning into the air. There was a burst of light and something landed in the grass between them.

'Turr-twig!' the Turtwig said confidently.

'Cool,' the blonde said and released his Pokémon.

'Chim, chim-char!' the Chimchar performed a perfect forward roll and sat on the grass giggling. The boys stared at their starters and then up at Amy expectantly.

'That means I have…' Amy said, pulling out her own Poké ball, 'go Piplup!'

The tiny penguin Pokémon landed and started bouncing on the balls of its feet. Amy looked up and noticed the boys grinning nastily at her.

'Two on one,' the blonde boy smirked, 'piece of cake.'

'That's not a fair fight,' someone called out from behind Amy and Eric burst through the trees to stand beside Amy. 'Go Hoothoot.'

The blonde boy lent in towards the bigger one. 'We're at a disadvantage here.'

'We keep going,' the bigger boy ordered. 'Turtwig, tackle the Piplup!'

'Dodge it Piplup!' Amy cried. The Turtwig hurtled across the grass towards Piplup who couldn't leap out of the way fast enough. It was brought to the ground with a small crash.

'Now! Chimchar! Use scratch!' the blonde commanded. Chimchar ran at Piplup with claws raised.

'Piplup! Get up and use bubble attack!' Amy shouted.

'Scratch your way through!' the blonde yelled. Amy realised that they must have more battling experience than she did as the Chimchar sliced through the bubbles before any damage could be done.

'Growl!' Piplup began chirping at the oncoming Chimchar, which slowed slightly at the pathetically tweeting Piplup. 'Pound!' Piplup gave a final tweet and leapt at the practically frozen Chimchar. Chimchar was taken by surprise and was knocked backwards by the pound. 'Alright, Piplup!' Amy encouraged, 'keep it up!'

'Stupid Chimchar!' the blonde boy chided, 'even I could see that coming.'

'Pathetic,' the shaved boy agreed.

'Lay off him,' Amy shouted, 'it's his first time battling.' Chimchar looked up at her, slightly reproachfully. Amy was confused by the look.

'Her,' Eric corrected Amy, 'it's her first time battling.'

'Chimchar is a girl,' Amy said in amazement. The Chimchar turned its gaze upon her. 'Well…' Amy stammered, 'of course it is. It's so pretty and… err…'

'Shut up!' the blonde snarled, 'none of us want to listen to you complimenting this stupid thing. Chimchar! Use Ember!' The Chimchar was clearly rethinking whose side it was on, but was obliged to obey.

'Piplup, use bubble!' Amy said as the shaven cried out, 'use razor leaf, Turtwig!'

Piplup was stuck in between two attacks, trying desperately to keep the fire away and dodge the leaves flying through the air. Midway through the ember, Chimchar was suddenly lifted off the ground and flung into Turtwig. As the pair got to their feet, Eric said, 'nice Confusion, Hoothoot! Now use Hypnosis!'

Hoothoot obliged, swooping down low so that the two Pokémon got a full look at its eyes. 'Don't look!' The boys yelled but it was too late. With a murmur, the Chimchar and Turtwig dropped to the grass, asleep.

The blonde stormed across the battle field and picked the Chimchar up by its feet. 'Stupid Pokémon!' he said, 'wake up! Wake up!' he tried slapping it across the face, but the Chimchar simply whimpered in its sleep and continued snoring. 'I know what will wake you,' the blonde muttered as his companion kicked the Turtwig over. The blonde marched to the edge of the lake and, holding the Chimchar by its feet, held its head under the water.

'No!' Amy shrieked as the Chimchar came to with a choke.

The blonde pulled it back out of the water and glared at the terrified Pokémon. 'Don't go to sleep on me again,' he snarled, 'or this will be the punishment!'

'How do you like it?' Amy screamed, barrelling across the battle field and pushing the blonde with all her strength. A look of surprise crossed the blondes face as he lost his balance and plunged downwards into the water. 'Got ya!' Amy cried, catching the screaming Chimchar and pulling it close. She sank to her knees to help her regain her own balance and cradled the Chimchar to her chest, whispering to it. It whimpered and clutched at her top.

A shadow fell across Amy's face and she looked up to see the bigger boy standing over her.

'Peck him!' the big boy looked up in shock as Hoothoot's stabbed at him. He roared in pain and smacked the bird Pokémon away. Hoothoot fell hard and didn't get back up. But when Hoothoot disappeared, Eric replaced him, hitting the bigger boy hard with the heel of his hand and sending him crashing backwards into the water.

Amy backed away with the Chimchar to stop its tail getting wet. She placed it next to the Turtwig who was still snoozing calmly. Piplup waddled over and Amy stroked its head. 'You did brilliantly,' she told the blue penguin. Piplup chirped happily. The Chimchar hung its head. Amy turned to it. 'And you were a great opponent!' the Chimchar raised its head slightly and murmured.

Eric came over, holding Hoothoot. 'Is he alright?' Amy asked, worried.

'He's fine,' Eric said, resting the tiny owl down on the grass and getting out a box of Pokémon treats. Three pairs of Pokémon eyes were suddenly fixed on him. Eric laughed and passed Pokémon treats to Chimchar and Piplup too as Hoothoot hooted thanks and started pecking at the treats in Eric's hand.

There was a sloshing sound as the drenched boys pulled themselves from the lake. 'You are in so much trouble,' the shaven haired one snarled.

'Not as much trouble as you are in,' a strident voice called.

'Officer Jenny!' Amy and Eric said relieved as the officer, accompanied by others, marched across the grass to the sodden lads. She was followed my Professor Rowan with a briefcase. He gestured as his assistant who checked the two lads for their Poké balls and returned Chimchar and the still sleeping Turtwig. Rowan flipped up the briefcase and placed the two balls inside.

'Professor,' Amy said, nervously. She held out Piplup, now back in its Poké ball. 'I have… I have a query.'

'Yes,' the Professor said, locking the briefcase containing the three Pokémon.

'I watched all the Pokémon battle,' Amy said slowly, 'and I…'

She got no further as the blonde boy, in fit of rage, broke free of the policeman's arm restraining him, and ran past Professor Rowan, snatching the briefcase from him. He backed along the lake side before turning back to the group.

'That starter was pathetic,' he snarled, 'but it was still a Pokémon. If I can't have it, no-one should have it.'

'No!' Amy, Rowan and Jenny yelled as the blonde boy drew back his arm and hurled the briefcase across the lake. It opened halfway over the lake and the three balls fell out of it and into the lake. Policemen were pinning the blonde down seconds later, but the damage had been done.

'Amy!' Eric said warningly as Amy started to kick off her trainers, 'Amy!' He grabbed at her coat, but she loosened herself from it as he did and dived into the lake.

Amy watched her hair float around her face as she opened her eyes. It took her a while to get used to the dim lighting before she began to swim deeper into the lake, searching for the Poké balls. Magikarp drifted past her in clusters. The dim blue lighting stretched out for miles in every direction. Rocks littered the lake bed, blue-grey in the dappled light. Amy could feel her clothes weighing her down, but was determined not to let them stop her from diving.

As she was swimming up for air, she spotted the first one. With a last minute effort, she dived again and snatched up the ball. One down she thought as she broke the surface for her first breath, two to go.

She found the second ball with relative easy as a Magikarp was nudging it with its nose. Amy frightened it off as she approached and clipped the second ball to her belt. Something landed on her head as she took breath for the second time. Hoothoot hooted encouragingly. Amy grinned and swam into the centre of the lake before taking the final dive.

Piplup's cry alerted Amy to its position. The water Pokémon had been released from its Poké ball when the ball had hit the rocks on its way down. Unfortunately for the tiny penguin, its ball had become wedge underneath two rocks and the Pokémon had got stuck between them on its way to the surface.

Amy swam to the bottom and tried budging one of the rocks. Piplup's eyes widened and it squawked a warning. Amy looked round as something big swam past, knocking most of the air out of her. Despite her lungs screaming at her to take a breath, Amy pulled the rock the little bit further, freeing the Piplup. Piplup immediately kicked off for the surface; the force of its kicking knocked the rest of the air from Amy. Automatically, Amy took breath, but was breathing in water. She choked, remembered last minute to grab the empty, and probably broken Poké ball before started to swim upwards.

She could see the surface, glittering far above her, but is seemed such a long way away. Had she really dived that far? Amy's clothes suddenly seemed a lot heavier. Her eyes closed briefly. Her mind was slowly emptying of thought. So this is what it is like to die, Amy thought, drowning is quite peaceful actually. Then another thought struck her, at least Piplup got away.

Amy could feel the water's around her changing, the currents were moving differently. Amy wasn't wondering what was happening, she could just feel it. Something nudged her. She looked around and saw through bleary eyes a shape. Then something caught her under her arms and hauled her to the surface.

Amy broke the surface and took a deep breath, filling her lungs to the full. Behind her, Piplup was squealing in panic. It straddled up the bank and crawled up to Amy's side. Amy coughed up a mouthful of water and reached out to stroke the tiny penguin.

'We made it,' she whispered. Steadily, she unhooked the two other Poké balls from her belt. 'We all made it,' she said happily, and then she passed out.

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><p>Next time: decision time. Amy actually has to choose which Starter to do her week with? Who will it be? Find out, next time!<p> 


	8. Challenge to Train

So sorry that I've not updated in a while. Been away.

Thanks for the review! So glad you love this story!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned pokémon. I don't. :(

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><p>So warm, Amy thought, so warm and dry and... Dry? Amy's eyes flickered. The lighting was a warm yellow and the room looked oddly familiar. Amy coughed and two faces appeared in her eye line.<p>

'Can she see us?' a worried, yet recognizable, voice asked. It was girl at least.

'Dunno,' said a voice Amy definitely knew, 'she does look bleary eyed.'

'Squirt,' Amy murmured.

The two small faces looked at one another. 'Did she recognise you or was she just muttering in her sleep?' the female voice asked.

'Dawn,' Amy said as the other one opened his mouth to speak. Oliver and Dawn looked down at Amy and they scrambled to hug her first. Amy started to laugh, but this was brought up short as a coughing fit overcame her. She sank back onto the pillows as the younger children slowly returned to her side after scurrying away from her to give her some room to cough.

'Do you want a glass of water?' Oliver queried.

Amy glowered at him, but someone else replied for her, 'Oliver! Amy nearly drowned! Do you really think that she'd like to see water so soon?'

'Eric!' Amy said with a smile as the older boy entered her bedroom. Then Amy realised something. 'How did I end up back here?'

'The Professor and I brought you here after you passed out,' Eric explained, sitting on the end of her bed, 'we didn't know how long you'd be out for, so…'

'How is the Professor?' Amy said and then sat up straighter, 'how are the Pokémon?'

'They're fine,' Eric said with a grin, 'I don't think Chimchar and Turtwig were even aware about their experience in the lake, but Piplup,' Eric paused before saying, 'let's just say that I think it'll be some time before Piplup is prepared to do deep diving again.'

Oliver started sniggering. 'A Water Pokémon that's scared of being in the water.'

'Shut up, squirt!' Amy snapped, before returning her gaze to Eric and asking softly, 'where are they now?'

'Downstairs. They're being fed by one of the Professor's assistants.'

'I want to see them,' Amy said determinedly, throwing back the covers. She registered briefly that she had been changed into her pyjamas as she pushed her feet into her slippers and stood unsteadily. Three pairs of hands reached out to help her. Amy smiled at her friends before walking shakily to the door and exiting, pulling her dressing gown from the hook on the back and putting it on as she walked down the stairs.

The three starters were sitting on the table. Ms Foster was watching them in amazement as they guzzled the Pokémon treats that had been set in front of them. Amy watched them from the bottom of the stairs. She had been so wrapped up in their safety by the lake; she hadn't had a chance to properly study the Pokémon. They were so cute. Even Chimchar, which had been her least favourite starter behind joint Piplup and Turtwig, Amy would happily have right now.

As she watched, the Chimchar looked up and caught sight of her. It squawked and leapt off the table towards her, followed swiftly by Piplup. Turtwig looked up in confusion and then wandered to the edge of the table where it watched as Amy greeted the ecstatic Chimchar and Piplup.

'Chimchar! Piplup!' a voice cried in a slight panic and Roseanne appeared in the kitchen doorway. 'Oh, Amy!' she said with a sigh of relief, 'you're alright!'

'Amy!' Amy heard Ms Foster exclaim before her foster mother gently shoved Roseanne out of the way to greet her. 'You're alright!' Ms Foster said thankfully. She held Amy at arm's length and said scolding, 'you shouldn't be up yet, go back to bed!'

'I'm fine,' Amy insisted, making her way over to the table and sitting down. The Turtwig wandered over curiously and Amy started to pet it. The Chimchar and Piplup fought to climb the chair. Chimchar won and Amy scratched it behind the ears. Piplup sat down and started to tweet sadly. Amy looked down and picked it up. She placed it on the table and kissed the top of its head.

'They certainly like you,' Roseanne commented as the Turtwig headbutted Amy's hand, wanting Amy to keep petting it, Chimchar tugged at Amy's top to get her to keep scratching and Piplup tugged at her fingers to try and keep her attention. Amy heard someone chuckle and looked over her shoulder to see Eric, Oliver and Dawn watching her from the kitchen doorway.

'Okay, you lot,' Amy said loudly. The three starters stopped fighting for her attention and stared at her, 'Chimchar, back onto the table. I love you all,' she said slowly as Chimchar agilely clambered up in between Turtwig and Piplup, 'but I need to eat. I've been asleep for a long time.'

'Ten hours,' Ms Foster said, heaping up food onto a plate.

'Yes, ten – ten hours!' Amy stared at Ms Foster. Ms Foster nodded sadly. Amy turned back and murmured, 'I must have swallowed a lot of water.'

'I could be worse,' Ms Foster said, sitting on Amy's right and placing the food in front of her, 'I hear that people can be out cold for days after nearly drowning.'

Amy sat staring at her plate for a while. 'I'm glad that's not the case now,' she said firmly, finally picking up her fork and starting to eat. The Pokémon sat on the table, every so often nuzzling her hands if they past too close and getting a stroke in return. After a while, it got to the point where Amy couldn't eat without one of them wanting a stroke, so Eric, Oliver and Dawn took the three starters into the back garden.

'It's strange,' she commented, 'I've never seen them act like this to anyone.'

'I think Turtwig is only doing because the other two are,' Amy said, watching her three friends playing with the Pokémon through the open doorway. She smiled as Dawn petted the Turtwig, watching Oliver and Eric who were pulling apart a squabbling Piplup and Chimchar. 'I thought Professor Rowan would have taken them back to his lab.'

The silence made her look around. Roseanne and Ms Foster were exchanging a glance behind her back. When they caught her looking, Roseanne shifted in her seat and said, 'we thought they would be safer here.'

'Safer?' Amy repeated.

'The two boys,' Roseanne explained, 'they...err... they were busted out of the police station. Officer Jenny has been searching for them, but we are afraid if we take them back to the lab, they might try and steal them again. This is just for precautions.'

Amy looked back out of the door. Oliver was showing off now by standing on his head. He wasn't grinning moments later when Chimchar managed to copy him and stayed upside-down long after he had toppled over. Amy smiled. 'I don't mind,' she said.

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><p>Eric woke early the next morning. He had been staying at Dawn's as there had been no more room at the Foster's. He changed, grabbed his bag, put his shoes on and left quietly, trying not to wake Dawn or her mother. He ran to Amy's, picked up a small stone and threw it at her bedroom window.<p>

When no-one appeared, he threw another.

He was aiming another when the window was flung open and Oliver stuck his head out. 'Morning, squirt!' Eric called up, 'is Amy there?'

Oliver rubbed his eyes and looked back over his shoulder. 'No,' he said tiredly, 'stop throwing stones.' He shut the window and went back to bed. A shower of pebbles hit the window. 'I said stop!' Oliver snapped once the window was back open.

'I know,' Eric said, 'but then you shut the window before I could ask where Amy was.'

Oliver shrugged. 'I don't know,' he said and shut the window again.

Eric frowned and reached for another stone. Before he could throw it, he heard someone calling his name. Standing by the side of the cottage, was Amy.

'I got up early to sketch,' she said as Eric joined her. 'I found a couple of Starly nesting, so I drew them.' She showed the sketch, waving her pencil in the direction of the tree from which Eric could just about make out a dark feathered bird with white streaks before it flapped away. Amy watched the flying bird before adding casually, 'I was also thinking of ways to train Pokémon in a week without forcing them to battle.'

'Oh, yeah, you're going to have to choose today,' Eric said, glancing sideways at her, 'so which are you choosing?'

Amy let there be a moment of pause before whispering, 'I want all of them.' Eric regarded her with raised eyebrows. Amy caught the glance. 'It's not what you think!' she exclaimed hurriedly, 'I want to try something. You'll understand more when the Professor arrives.'

Eric grinned and in the pause they could hear Ms Foster calling up the stairs, 'breakfast is on the table.'

'Care to join us?' Amy asked, getting to her feet.

Eric put his hand on his stomach as it rumbled. 'Don't mind if I do,' he murmured and the two entered the kitchen via the back door. Ms Foster looked up in surprise as they came in, but didn't comment. She was used now to Amy's strange sketching hours.

'I suppose you want something to eat too, Eric,' she offered him a plate of buttered toast.

'That would be great, Ms Foster,' Eric said politely, helping himself as he and Amy sat at the table.

'Please, call me Doreen,' Ms Foster insisted, placing the plate on the table. 'Big day, Amy,' she remarked to her foster daughter as Amy poured milk into her tea.

'Is, isn't it,' Amy replied calmly, testing the heat of the cup before bringing it to her lips, 'I thought I would be more excited.'

'I suppose you will when the time comes.' Amy nodded and started on the toast. Ms Foster regarded her for a moment before asking, 'which one are you going to choose then?'

When Amy didn't answer, Eric said, 'she said she wanted all of them.'

'All of them?' Oliver had chosen that instant to walk in, 'that's greedy!'

'It's not like that,' Amy said coolly, 'it's because I see the potential in all of them. I want to try something before I make my choice. This is going to be one of the most important decisions of my life here. I need the right partner if I'm going to beat the Pokémon league.'

'Fair enough,' Oliver muttered, sitting beside his sister and pulling the plate of toast towards him.

Amy mused for a while over her tea before saying, 'I'm actually really glad that Professor Rowan is giving me this week to prove myself. I can prove to him that Outsider trainers are not what people have labelled them as and see which starter would be best for me at the same time.'

'Those two trainers,' Eric said later in the meal, 'do you think they were Outsiders?'

'Must have been,' Amy said, 'otherwise Professor Rowan would have given them one. Registered trainers get priority over Outsiders.' She sat back and stared at the ceiling. The next time she spoke, they could hear the worry in her voice, 'I don't know how they found out about me and the starter Pokémon.'

'I don't think they knew,' Eric consoled her; 'I just think they got lucky and asked for a starter on the day that you were receiving yours.'

'Hmm,' Amy said. However she was thinking about a teenage boy with dark hair and dark eyes, standing in the streets of Jubilife city. She had told him that she was getting a starter Pokémon. Could he have known the two who stole the starters? He was the right age. But she hadn't given him a date or even a proper estimate as to when she was choosing. No, Amy decided, the two in Sandgem must have just got lucky.

A knock at the door brought Amy back from her thoughts sharply. Ms Foster had bustled off to get the front door before Amy was out of her chair. Amy gripped the back of her chair tightly as Ms Foster opened the door to a smartly dressed Professor Rowan with his usual briefcase and Roseanne who smiled at the children gathered around the table when she and the Professor entered the kitchen.

'Tea, Professor?' Ms Foster asked.

'No,' Rowan declined gently, 'I'm here to get down to business.' He placed the briefcase on the table in front of Amy and opened it to reveal three Poké balls inside. 'Have you decided on which starter you want?' the Professor asked.

Amy licked her lips. Her mouth had suddenly gone very dry. 'I'd like all of them,' she said in a raspy voice.

Professor Rowan chuckled jovially. 'We usually get one who can't choose, but they always end up knowing exactly which one they want…'

'I honestly cannot choose,' Amy insisted, 'and I was thinking, since I was only having my starter for the week, could I have them all? Just for the week? I can get the feeling of how each of the Pokémon battle, what each of the Pokémon are like, their strengths, their weaknesses. I can make a proper, informed decision based on what I have experienced and then decide which I'd like.'

The Professor raised his eyebrows and turned to Roseanne. She was opening and closing her mouth in slight confusion. 'It's very unorthodox,' she said at length.

'But this isn't exactly what happens normally,' Eric said quickly. Amy cast him a thankful glance.

'I see no harm in it,' the Professor said, 'it is only for the week...'

'Is this a yes?' Amy asked hopefully.

'It's a yes, for now,' Rowan agreed.

Amy couldn't hold back her scream of glee. She grinned from ear to ear and jumped to her feet. Eric was grinning too, so was Ms Foster. Only Oliver looked incredulous.

'I think the old man's gone soft,' he said when Professor Rowan had gone.

'That's good for me,' Amy said happily, picking up the three Poké balls placed carefully on the table. She clipped them to her belt and enjoyed the sensation of them on her hip. Then she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. 'Come on!'

'Where are we going?' Eric asked. Oliver snatched his trainers and jacket from by the door and followed them out into the sunshine.

'To the lake,' Amy said with a grin, 'I'm not going to waste a single moment; I do only have them for the week. Let's go!'

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><p>Next time: Amy has one week to train her Pokémon to Professor Rowan's standards. Will she do it? How will she do it? Find out!<p>

:) You know that there's a little button at the bottom that you want to press ;)


	9. The Week to Prove Part 1

Thanks for the review ambling-soul! I love the fact you like this fic so much. I promise you that it gets better once Amy gets going. But for now, she's stuck training.

Disclaimer: I own the Outsider trainers and Eric. But not Pokémon, sadly.

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><p>The lake was deserted. Amy stopped a short distance from the water's edge and gazed around, her eyes glittering. A small smile appeared on her face as she slid the three Poké balls out of her belt. Behind her, she could hear Eric and Oliver panting as they hurried to catch up with her.<p>

'Are you sure that here is the best place?' Eric asked, glancing around more nervously. He remembered all too well what happened here last time.

'Yes,' Amy said determinedly, 'it's quiet, there are no people about and we need to get over the bad memories.'

'No-one except them,' Oliver corrected, pointing some distance away to a group of lads who were emerging from the wood.

'What do they want?' Amy muttered grumpily, storming across the grass towards them, 'excuse me! What are you doing here?'

The leader of the group looked around in surprise. 'Hullo?' he said.

'What are you doing here?' Amy demanded, eyeing their fishing equipment and snorkelling gear.

'We're going to catch us a legendary Pokémon,' leader said proudly.

'With that lot?' Amy asked.

'Yeah,' the leader said, suddenly not as cocky, 'why?'

'Sorry,' Amy said, 'but do you see a cave with a mystical creature in it. No because it isn't here. Now go away, you're disturbing the peace.'

'It's underwater,' the leader told her, in a tone that suggested that Amy was stupid.

'No it's not,' Amy replied in the same voice, then normally, 'I should know: I nearly drowned in this lake only two days ago.'

'Is that true?' the leader said over Amy's head. Amy guessed that Eric was behind her.

'Yeah,' Eric said.

'Darn!' the leader cursed, 'bother! F-'

'Not in the presence of youngsters please!' Amy cried out.

'I know what that word is,' Oliver objected as the other trainers slouched off, 'he was going to say f…'

'Oliver,' Amy interrupted calmly, 'if you continue with that word, when we get home I am going to tell Doreen who will wash your mouth out with soap.'

'Fiddlesticks,' Oliver said quickly.

'Much better,' Amy said happily, turning to face the boys, 'well, now that it's peaceful again, shall we begin?'

Amy sat with the three Pokémon trying to work out where to begin. Eric stood with Hoothoot on his shoulder and Oliver was helping Amy keep the three starters under control.

'I want to start with a race,' Amy said, 'to judge speed and all that.' Eric nodded understandingly.

'Why?' Oliver asked, bewildered, 'Chimchar is going to be the fastest and Turtwig is going to be the slowest. Simples.'

'I need to know how much faster Chimchar is and how much slower Turtwig is,' Amy said simply.

She stood by the starter Pokémon at one end of the lake and asked Eric to stand three metres away. She raised her arms in the air as the Pokémon lined up. 'Ready,' she called, 'steady.' She let her arms drop, 'Go!'

Chimchar was the clear winner, streaking ahead of Piplup and Turtwig who were nearly equal in speed. Amy was chewing her lip as she joined them and Oliver could tell instantly that she was worried.

'I didn't think it would be that close,' she murmured, staring at the worn out Piplup. Chimchar was bouncing up and down, celebrating its victory. Amy turned to the boys.

'Alright,' she said, 'I have three lessons for each of the Pokémon lined up for today. Each time, we're going to have a starter and work with that Pokémon for about an hour. We'll then have a break and then start on lesson two, with a different Pokémon this time. Lesson number one: speed.' Amy turned to Eric, 'Eric, could you run with Chimchar?'

Eric nodded. 'Sure,' then he looked confused, 'where are we running?'

'Around the lake,' Amy said, pointing across the glittering expanse of water. She knelt down so she was level with the Pokémon. 'Chimchar,' she said, 'I know you can beat Eric. I want you to be so quick, you're back here before he's gotten three quarters of the way around the lake. Got that?'

Chimchar leapt up and squealed in delight. Then it turned and looked slyly sideways at Eric.

'Go!' Amy cried and Chimchar leapt into a run from a standing start.

'Hey! That's not fair!' Eric yelled, racing after the disappearing fire Pokémon, 'come back here!' Hoothoot hooted in distress and flew off after its master.

'Oliver,' Amy continued as Eric's cries got quieter as he got further away, 'can you work with Turtwig? Get it to fetch this,' Amy pulled a ball from her bag and handed it to her younger brother, 'and keep tabs on how long that takes. It should get quicker.'

'Where did you get this?' Oliver asked, turning the rubber ball over in his hands. It was quite well used, covering in claw and teeth marks.

'It was Furret's,' Amy explained, 'Doreen let me have it to train my Pokémon with.'

'That was nice of her,' Oliver said, but he didn't look or sound like he meant it.

Amy didn't look impressed. 'Just get moving, squirt.' Oliver sighed and bent down to Turtwig.

'Here, Turtwig, here!' he called, 'look! Fetch!' he threw the ball.

'Turtwig is not a dog!' Amy snapped as Turtwig ambled away after the bouncing rubber ball. Oliver followed it, grumbling. Amy returned her attention to the waiting Piplup. 'You and me are going to go over there and practice running,' she told it, 'we're going to get you up to speed!'

Half an hour later, Eric flopped down next to Amy's bag. He breathed in heavily and Hoothoot settled on his stomach with a soft hoot before collapsing. Amy and Piplup, who had been watching them whilst jogging on the spot, stopped training to come over to them. Chimchar, still seemingly full of energy, greeted them warmly, but could barely make it over to them before it dropped. Amy scooped it up and laid it against her, stroking the top of its head whilst she caught her breath. Piplup immediately started vying for Amy's attention.

Oliver took the ball back from an exhausted Turtwig and led the way back to the resting group as Amy giggled and patted Piplup on the head. She lay back against the grass, Chimchar against her shoulder, Piplup by her side, calming her breathing. Not far off, Oliver crashed to the ground.

'I'm tired,' he complained.

'You've barely done anything,' moaned Eric, 'all you've done is stand and throw a ball meanwhile some of us have actually been having exercise.'

'You don't know how hard it can be to stand upright and throw a ball,' Oliver snapped, 'my arm aches now.'

'I ache all over,' Eric lamented.

'How about a fifteen minute break?' Amy suggested. The boys groaned.

'Can't we make it longer?' Oliver asked.

'No,' Amy said, sitting upright and fishing in her bag for something. 'I think certain people deserve some special treats!' she pulled out a box of Pokémon food and suddenly became a very popular person indeed. 'Alright! Calm down!' she laughed as all the Pokémon jumped at her, trying to get at the food. Turtwig's collided heavily with her stomach causing Amy to rock backwards, the Pokémon food spilling out of the box and all over the grass.

'Oh no,' Amy murmured, gazing upside-down as the Pokémon dived for the chunks lying in the grass. She rolled onto her stomach and watched as the Pokémon fought over the few blocks of Pokémon food. Chimchar pushed Piplup roughly out of the way, who fell down and started to tweet sadly. Amy scrambled to her knees, scooped it up and fed it blocks from the palm of her hand.

When all were full, Amy took a long length of rope from her bag and handed one end to Eric. 'Enough running,' she said, 'it's skipping time!'

'You're going to make them skip?' Oliver said incredulously watching Amy and Eric walk in opposite directions until the rope when taut.

'When I did gymnastics, the coach would make us skip for ten minutes before every session,' Amy explained, 'it increased our speed and our agility, she said.' Amy paused for thought before admitting, 'actually, most of the training techniques I'm working on are based on my gymnastics training.'

'When are we getting around to actually using their moves?' Oliver complained, lying on his stomach to watch as the Pokémon gathered in the middle of the skipping rope.

'Tomorrow,' Amy said, 'I've got a schedule lined up: three days of this week we work on improving qualities like speed and evasiveness, the other three days are based around improving moves.'

'What's the last day for?' Eric asked over the top of Oliver who was saying, 'there are seven days in a week you know?'

'I know that, squirt!' Amy snapped at him, 'the last day is a rest day. I don't want to overwork them.'

Oliver raised his eyebrows, sighed and left Amy to it.

* * *

><p>'Come on, Amy! We need to get going!' Oliver yelled into the trees. He waited before adding, 'Now!'<p>

'Be right with you,' Amy called back, struggling through the undergrowth, Chimchar on her shoulder.

'What have you been doing for the last hour?' Eric asked. He had been with Turtwig, trying to build its evasiveness by throwing rubber balls at it whilst in a confined space. It was clear that Turtwig needed a lot more practice.

'You'll find out,' Amy said cheekily, winking at him, 'won't they Chimchar?'

Chimchar raised its arms in the air from the top of Amy's head, laughing. It gripped hold of Amy's hair as she picked up a squealing Piplup and carried it in her arms. Turtwig nuzzled her foot before leading the way to the boys who were preparing to leave.

'That was a good day training,' Eric chuckled, 'do you think that Hoothoot and I could join you tomorrow when you're training moves.'

'Sure, why not?' Amy said, but her voice sounded distant, as if she was thinking about something else.

'What's wrong?' Eric asked, stopping as Amy slowed.

'I was thinking about the trainers from earlier,' Amy admitted, 'I've heard Doreen talk about Outsider trainers who would storm the lake in search of Mesprit but I've never believed that anyone could be so stupid as to believe that they could really find a legendary that easily.' She stopped and turned in the direction of the distance figure of Mt Coronet rising in the distance. 'Do you think that there are Outsider trainers searching for Spear Pillar as well?'

'Probably,' Oliver said, 'so what?'

'What do you mean "so what"?' Amy demanded.

'They're just trying to find legendary Pokémon, what's wrong with that? They want to get stronger, that's all.'

'Is that all? I doubt it. I think that many trainers search for legendaries so that they can have an advantage over other trainers.' Amy stalked off, the starter Pokémon desperately clinging to her, 'let's face it Oliver, most Outsider trainers think of nothing but their own power and strength and want nothing more than to be the best.'

'Now hold on!' Oliver yelled, running to get in front of Amy, 'that's not true!'

'Give me one example of an Outsider who doesn't care if they don't get a legendary Pokémon,' Amy shouted back.

'You don't!' Oliver cried out. His sister turned away, not meeting his eye, 'you don't, do you?'

Amy sighed. 'I don't know,' she admitted quietly, 'I don't know. It would be amazing but,' she looked up at her expectant brother, 'I'm not sure I could cope with it...'

Oliver wasn't sure how to reply. Eric saved the situation by stepping in and saying, 'you know I bet that there are many Outsider trainers who aren't interested in legendaries. The difference is that you don't meet them because they're quite content to stay at home and train, or breed or are into contests. There are so many things that trainers can become, you never know what you might grow into.'

'Thanks Eric.' Amy raised her head to the sky and said, 'I know now what I want to do on my Pokémon journey. I want to prove that Outsiders are not all about power and catching legendaries.'

Oliver turned his back on his sister and slouched off. 'Good luck with that,' he muttered, causing Amy to run after him in anger. Eric laughed as the siblings vanished, picked up the Turtwig who was running as fast as he could after its disappearing trainer and hurried after them.

* * *

><p>'Chimchar use Ember!' Amy cried out. Chimchar puffed up and exhaled the fiery attack. The rock smouldered slightly. Amy sighed and scratched the disappointed Chimchar on the head. 'We'll set it alight by the end of the week,' she said encouragingly, 'you'll see.'<p>

It was the fourth day into Amy's week and Amy was beginning to become anxious. Not only did she have to prove that she could be a worth trainer to Professor Rowan by the end of this week, she then had to choose the Pokémon to take on that journey. She had to be honest; she didn't have a clue which starter she wanted. Amy wouldn't let that put her down though. She had to prove she could do it before she could get the one she wanted – whichever that would be.

'Now let's try that new move,' she said, 'use Flame Wheel!' Chimchar took a running leap towards the rock. It jumped and began to spin. Fire engulfed it as it rotated. It hit the rock, hard. There was a pause. Chimchar jumped back to Amy's side. They watched the rock. There was a small flicker and then it went quiet.

'Oh well, nice try Chimchar,' Amy said turning and heading over to where Oliver was sitting with Piplup, ordering the penguin Pokémon to aim Bubble across the lake and trying to coax it into a Bubblebeam.

'Bubblebeam Piplup,' Amy called out. Piplup turned its head slightly, noticed Chimchar sitting smugly on Amy's head which pulled a face, and aimed a perfect Bubblebeam as far as it could go. There were several splashes heard from somewhere near the middle of the lake.

'What?' Oliver complained as Amy sat down beside the proud Pokémon, 'I've been trying to get it to do that for ages.'

'Completely against what I told you to do,' Amy said with a smile, patting Piplup on the head, 'besides, it's my Pokémon. Well done Piplup.'

'With your Chimchar,' Oliver continued, pretending he hadn't heard what Amy had said, 'I think you should practice against something a bit more flammable, like a tree.'

'And how do you propose we put out the tree once we've set it alight?' Amy asked pointedly.

'Piplup?' Oliver said weakly, knowing he had just been backed into a corner.

'Amy,' Eric approached, Turtwig at his feet, 'we need something better to practice Turtwig's razor leaf on.' He held up an item that used to be a rubber ball. Turtwig looked shamefacedly at the ground.

'Turtwig!' Amy exclaimed, coming and kneeling beside the embarrassed Pokémon, 'that's nothing to be ashamed of; it just shows that you've gotten stronger.' Turtwig looked up hopefully. Amy jumped to her feet. 'I know, we can use Piplup's bubble attack. Turtwig can aim at those.'

'That means pitting Piplup against Turtwig head-on,' Eric told her, 'are you sure that they can handle

Amy turned and looked down at the two starter Pokémon. Her eyes met their determined gaze.

Amy nodded. 'I'm sure they can.'

Eric and Turtwig faced Amy and Piplup. 'Remember,' Amy said, 'this isn't a battle. We just want to improve Turtwig's razor leaf right?'

'What's the problem with a battle?' Oliver teased from the sidelines, 'afraid of hurting your Pokémon?'

'No,' Amy snapped, 'I just want to improve their moves before we get onto battling with them.'

'You can't go the whole week without battling at all,' Oliver pointed out.

'What do you think we're working on for the last three days?' Amy asked.

Oliver blinked. 'You said the last day will be a rest day.'

'Most of it will be,' Amy growled, 'now shut up, squirt. Piplup, use Bubble!' Bubbles blossomed in the air between the Pokémon. 'Okay Turtwig, I want you to pop all of them with razor leaf!'

Turtwig dipped and spun its head. The leaves ricocheted off in all directions. Amy grabbed Piplup and leapt out of the way as the leaves slammed into where they had just been standing. When the dust cleared, there was still one bubble remaining.

'We need to work on that accuracy,' Amy said, climbing to her feet. Turtwig hung its head. 'Don't be sad!' Amy said hurriedly, running to Turtwig's side, 'that's why we're training. No-one gets it right first time round.'

'Correction…' Oliver began.

'Shut up, Squirt!' Amy shouted over her shoulder, 'if you can't say anything helpful, don't say anything at all.' Oliver looked away, muttering. 'Let's try it again until we get it right.' Turtwig gazed up at Amy, a smile wide across its face.

Oliver turned his back as the attacks continued. 'Come on Chimchar,' he said as he passed the fire Pokémon, 'let's work on that Ember whilst they fight.' Chimchar looked between Amy, who was watching Turtwig with a fierce determination, and Oliver, who was looking equally determined not to get involved with the Piplup/Turtwig match-up.

'Come on Chimchar!' Oliver yelled when he saw that the fire starter wasn't moving. 'You want to get tougher don't you?' Chimchar quailed as Oliver's anger raised several notches.

'Oliver!' Amy moved away from the popping challenge to approach her younger brother. 'Oliver, that's not the way to treat her!' Amy knelt down and scratched Chimchar's head. 'Go with him,' she said gently, 'but don't let him force you to do anything.' She looked up at her brother. 'You hear that Oliver!'

Oliver nodded once. 'I heard.'

As he walked off, Chimchar at his heels, Amy looked back at the other two starters. A line creased her forehead. She was once again thinking about the Pokémon she had to choose. She knew, deep inside, that there was no way that she could make a choice between the three. Sighing, Amy returned to Piplup and Turtwig, pushing the decision from her mind. She didn't have the think about that –yet.

* * *

><p>Hope you enjoyed that. I wanted to get the feeling that Amy was training hard, without actually having to tell you everything she did.<p>

And what was she working on with Chimchar, you'll just have to wait and see. ;)

Next time: Amy faces Professor Rowan's challenge to see whether her training has paid off. And who will she choose? Keep with us to find out!


	10. The Week to Prove Part 2

Here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

* * *

><p>'I'm really, really nervous,' Amy said, standing outside the Sandgem lab main gate.<p>

Eric put his arm around her shoulders. 'Relax,' he said, 'with all the training you've done, I'm sure Professor Rowan will give you a Pokémon.'

'I'm now worried that he'll think that I've overworked them,' Amy murmured.

'That's your trouble, Amy,' Oliver said, peering around Amy's elbow, 'you worry too much.' He peeped up at the impressive structure, 'so this is Sandgem lab! It looks just like it does in the anime!'

'It does?' Amy queried.

'You know, Amy,' Eric commented as Amy started up the path towards the lab, 'for an Outsider, you don't know much about the Sinnoh geography do you?'

'I didn't watch the TV show, okay?' Amy snapped, turning on the boys. She paused, 'why did we bring squirt anyway?'

'Why should you have left me behind?' Oliver demanded, 'I had just a big a part in raising those Pokémon as you and Eric did.' Amy said nothing in retort, just turned her back and strode toward the lab. 'She just doesn't have a good comeback,' Oliver said to Eric as the two hurried to catch up with the furious Amy.

'How are you going to get back to Twinleaf?' Eric asked as they jogged, 'we're not planning on heading back that way again. It's a bit of a dead end you see.'

'I'll be fine,' Oliver told him, a knowing smile playing across his face. Eric was so distracted by it, he almost walking into Amy who was frozen in front of the lab doors.

'I can't do it,' she whispered.

'Course you can,' Eric said reassuringly, putting one hand on Amy's back and pushing the doors with the other, 'you have to.'

'I can't!' Amy cried out, ducking Eric's encouraging hand, 'I don't want to...' she looked up at the boys with tear stained eyes, 'I don't want to have to choose.'

Oliver, as supportive as ever, put both hand in the small of Amy's back and pushed hard. 'Think about that later,' he said, 'let's go!'

Amy took a few tottering steps forwards, through the double doors and then the force overwhelmed her and she crashed to the floor.

'Oliver!' she screamed as her younger brother streaked past her in a flurry of giggles, 'get back here, squirt!' Then she spotted Professor Rowan and his companion, 'Palmer!'

Oliver's run came to a sudden stop. He stared at Palmer before asking in awe, 'what are you doing here?'

He didn't get his answer as Amy got hold of him by both ears and started pulling in opposite directions. 'Why did you do that to me? How dare you do that to me! I'm your older sister! I deserve some respect! But I never get it from you, at home or in this world!'

'Get off me!' was Oliver's general reply, 'get off me!' and 'This is child abuse, isn't it?'

'You're Palmer,' Eric said, catching up with the squabbling duo, 'I've been hearing a lot about you.'

'Nice to meet you,' Palmer chuckled, 'some things never change.' He raised his voice so that the siblings could hear it, 'these two still don't get along!'

Amy and Oliver froze as they heard themselves being mentioned. Remembering whose presence they were in, Amy let go of Oliver, Oliver stopped trying to stomp on Amy's toes and they stood side-by-side looking rather sheepish. Palmer roared with laughter at their hangdog looks.

'Alright, Amy,' Professor Rowan said, stepping in, 'let's take a look at those starter Pokémon I lent you.'

'Right, Professor,' Amy said smiling. She unclipped the three poké balls from her belt and tossed them in the air, 'come on out guys and show them what we've done.' The three Sinnoh starters landed on the nearest work surface with various cries.

Rowan bent over the three Pokémon. 'Impressive,' he muttered to himself and then glanced at Amy, who was looking exceedingly nervous. 'It appears that all three are in great shape,' Rowan said with pride, 'you've raised them well.'

Amy glowed with pleasure. 'Thank you,' she said, 'we've been working hard every day, haven't we guys?' The last part was directed at the starter Pokémon. They chorused their agreement.

'Hmm,' Rowan said thoughtfully.

Amy hurriedly added, 'although, I tried to not to overwork them. I don't want them getting hurt because I'm being too pushy.'

'Besides,' Oliver chirped, moving quickly to stand next to Eric, 'she had to give us breaks, or we'd go on strike!'

'That's not true!' Eric said as Amy hissed, 'shut up, squirt!'

Palmer roared with laughter as the Professor frowned. 'He was always a troublemaker,' he said, gesturing at Oliver. Oliver went bright red and sulked behind Eric. He turned to Rowan, 'shall I proceed with the test?'

Rowan nodded slowly. Palmer stepped forward and Amy stepped back in alarm. 'You want to be a Pokémon trainer Amy?' Palmer grinned.

'Yes,' Amy said honestly.

'Then show me what you can do,' Palmer said. 'The Professor asked me to test how you've trained your Pokémon, so let's see what you've been doing.'

Amy nodded, 'let's do it!'

* * *

><p>Outside on Professor Rowan's battle field, Palmer and Amy faced one another. Palmer pulled out a poké ball, 'go, Bidoof.' The Bidoof landed on the floor and blinked stupidly up at the startled Amy. 'All the Pokémon I'm using today I caught this morning,' Palmer explained, 'just for you.'<p>

'Alright,' Amy said. She turned her head and called out, 'Turtwig, you're up!'

The Turtwig hopped out of the gathered Pokémon and rushed to Amy's side. She patted it on the head and then it jogged forwards to face the Bidoof.

'Nice choice,' Palmer murmured, 'strong, good defence, but I know it will have a low speed.'

Amy's smile widened. 'Let's see shall we.'

Palmer frowned. Both trainers called out at the same time, 'tackle attack!'

The Bidoof and Turtwig charged at one another. It was clear from the way they crossed the floor that Turtwig was the faster. They rammed each other head on and both fell backwards, recoiling from the contact.

'Turtwig, are you alright?' Amy cried, concerned. Turtwig's head snapped up and it called out to her happily. 'Great,' Amy yelled, 'try a razor leaf.'

Turtwig crowed and flicked its head. Leaves spun away and, thankfully, in the general direction of the Bidoof.

'Bidoof, defence curl,' Palmer ordered. The Bidoof obliged, limiting the damage done. Amy ground her teeth in frustration. However, she thought, at least tackle is the only move it knows.

Palmer had a way around that however. 'Now growl.' The Bidoof started to growl pathetically. Turtwig's gaze slackened. If his attack isn't good, Amy realised, he can still lower mine until it barely harms him. Then he can attack.

'Turtwig, ignore the growl! Use razor leaf!' Turtwig, unsure, flicked its head, but its concentration had gone and the leaves flew in all directions, only some glancing off Bidoof's hide and head. A lucky shot though hit Bidoof just above the eye and it stopped growling.

'Again!' Amy encouraged and Turtwig, attention regained, aimed the leaves in Bidoof's direction.

'Dodge it Bidoof,' Palmer said lazily and the Bidoof leapt aside, reducing the number of leaves that pounded against it.

There has to be another way, Amy thought desperately, I can't keep up this approach or he'll reduce my attack too far. But before she could call another attack, Palmer said, 'tackle!' and the Bidoof charged towards Turtwig.

Let's try defensive, Amy decided, 'Turtwig, withdraw!' Turtwig disappeared into its shell as the Bidoof rammed into it. The shell bounced away across the dirt, rotating rapidly. It slowly came to a stop some distance away and Turtwig's head and legs emerged shortly. Turtwig put its head on the ground to try and stop it spinning.

'Turtwig!' Amy screamed, scared that it was out for the count. She hurried towards it when Turtwig raised its head and called out reassuringly. It wasn't down just very, very dizzy. It got to its feet unsteadily and swayed from side to side. It sat down again quickly.

'It's just dizzy,' Amy sighed with relief. She knelt down and scraped her fingers along the ground. The dirt was very fine and dry; that was what had given it the slippery quality. It was giving Amy an idea. To cover up her reasons to get down on her knees, she reached out and called to Turtwig, 'come here!' Turtwig got to its feet, be it unevenly, and wandered over. 'Do you want to continue?' Amy asked.

Turtwig nodded its head. 'Turt-twig,' it said defiantly.

'Alright,' Amy said, 'prepare yourself.' She stood upright and faced Palmer. 'Let's try this again,' she said, 'Turtwig, tackle!'

'Bidoof, tackle too!' Palmer commanded.

'Now withdraw, Turtwig,' Amy yelled when she deemed that the Pokémon had enough speed.

'What?' Palmer said, startled.

Turtwig withdrew into its shell mid-leap. But when it hit the ground, the momentum of its run carried it onwards, towards the charging Bidoof. Bidoof's speed could not match the speed at which the shell travelled. The shell rocketed into Bidoof, tripping it up and continuing for some way before Amy called out, 'Stop Turtwig!' Turtwig stuck out its legs and forced the flying shell to a sudden halt.

The dust cleared. Bidoof was lying on its front, out for the count.

'Bidoof is unable to battle,' Professor Rowan's assistance called out, 'Turtwig wins!'

Amy screamed with joy and twirled Turtwig around her head as he crowed happily at their victory. 'We did it, Turtwig,' Amy cried, planting a kiss on the grass Pokémon's forehead. Behind her, the boys and the other Pokémon were celebrating also.

'Well done,' Palmer congratulated, recalling the Bidoof. 'That was a great tactical move.' He threw the poké ball in the air and with a flash of blue light, the Bidoof was released. It landed, shook itself and then scampered away into the undergrowth.

'Why did you release it?' Eric asked as they watched the disappearing tail of the Bidoof fade into the shadows.

'I don't need it,' Palmer said simply, 'it would be happier in the wild. I did only catch it for this battle. Next up,' he brought out a second poké ball and from this emerged a Starly.

Amy was about to call out for Chimchar and then paused. She guessed that Palmer had three Pokémon, but he might have more. What if one of them was a Shinx? Her only Pokémon left would be Piplup and, although it was unlikely that the Shinx would know any electric moves, it would still hold the advantage over the water Pokémon.

Chimchar, however, had few disadvantages, unless he had a Geodude, which Amy considered unlikely. Therefore, Amy asked Piplup to step up to the field.

Palmer smiled at Amy's choice and immediately launched an attack, 'Starly, tackle.'

'Use bubble and then dodge it, Piplup!' Amy shouted as the Starly swooped down low. Piplup fired off a series of bubbles and then rolled to one side, leading the Starly straight through the waiting wall of foam. The Starly flew upwards and hovered there.

'Pound, Piplup,' Amy yelled. Piplup scrambled to its feet and jumped, aiming to headbutt the underbelly of the flapping bird Pokémon.

'Quick attack,' Palmer ordered. The Starly zoomed up out of Piplup's reach and then turned and flew back down towards it.

'Bubble attack and then dodge it, Piplup!' Amy cried out, but Piplup was too slow and was struck by the faster move.

'Again!' Palmer yelled.

Amy winced with the idea, but persisted, 'Piplup, use bubblebeam!'

The force of the constant bubbles proved too great for the Starly, which pulled out of the attack to try and escape the onslaught. Palmer decided to try a different approach.

'Wing Attack,' he said. Starly's wing began to glow and it brought it down towards Piplup's head.

'Bubble,' Amy yelled, 'block its view.' The air was soon filled with glistening bubbles. 'Pound from below,' Amy cried out. There was a small cry and then the Starly fell through the air and hit the ground. Piplup bounced back to Amy's side, twittering its delight at winning. Amy scooped Piplup into a hug and they swayed happily.

'Very good!' Palmer was impressed as a newly released Starly took off into the sky. 'Final battle.' Amy looked up expectantly as the final Pokémon emerged: a Kricketune.

'This should be easy,' she said, 'come on, Chimchar!'

Chimchar darted forwards and began to staring match with Palmer's Kricketune. Finally, Amy broke it, shouting out, 'Ember, Chimchar!'

'Sing,' Palmer ordered and the Kricketune began to sing. Chimchar paused to listen to the strange new melody and then curled up to have a nap.

'No,' Amy complained, unsure of where to go with this.

Palmer used the opportunity to his advantage. 'Kricketune use leech seed.'

Kricketune was soon draining Chimchar's energy.

'Chimchar!' Amy called out in desperation, but the fire monkey slept through her protests.

She turned to Piplup and Turtwig who were watching with interest. 'Piplup,' she said, 'take Chimchar's place.' The penguin Pokémon tweeted its agreement and hurried forwards to push Chimchar out of the way, which was when Chimchar decided to wake up.

It stretched and then looked down at the vines leeching its energy. It let out a blast of flame which forced Kricketune to back away from it and scrambled to its feet. It turned to look reproachfully at the water starter standing behind it and Amy who was now chewing her lip.

'You sure you're able to continue?' Amy asked it. Chimchar nodded defiantly. 'Alright, Piplup return, let's allow Chimchar some time.'

'Nicely handled,' Palmer congratulated as Piplup scurried back to Amy's feet, 'let's see; fury cutter.'

'Dodge it, Chimchar,' Amy yelled as Kricketune's scythes glowed red and it began slashing at the smaller Pokémon. Chimchar evaded the first few with ease but as the attacks became more frequent, its evasiveness decreased. Then, just when a scythe descended upon its head, Chimchar rolled underneath it. It pressed down with its hands and flipped upright.

Amy took the advantage whilst everyone else gaped. 'Ember!' The fiery outburst hit Kricketune in the small of its back. It fell forwards. 'Now, finish off with scratch!' Amy yelled. Chimchar's scratch caught Kricketune as it rose to face it. It dropped back down, defeated.

'I won,' Amy murmured, not believing it at first then gradually getting louder, 'I won!' She threw Chimchar into the air in celebration whilst Piplup and Turtwig celebrated at her feet. She knelt down and hugged all three at once, laughing all the while.

'The Pokémon have certainly advanced under your care,' Palmer commented. Amy looked up and realised that he was standing directly over her.

'We trained hard.'

'It has paid off,' Palmer said with a large small, reaching out a hand towards Amy. Amy hesitated and then took it. Palmer hauled her off her feet and hugged her warmly, chuckling. 'You are aware,' he said as he released her, 'that if I was using my real team, you would not have stood a chance.'

'Yes,' Amy said plainly, 'because these are young Pokémon and you have experienced Pokémon. But don't you worry. I plan to train up a team and beat you, some day.'

Palmer laughed. 'I look forward it.' They shook hands.

Amy turned her back on her opponent, towards the watching boys. They both looked slightly stunned.

'You just beat Palmer,' Oliver whispered, and then, 'did Chimchar do a forward roll?'

Amy shrugged, 'yes.'

'Did you teach it to do that?'

'I thought I could use its agility to the best of its ability. If it could master a few gymnastic tricks, it could be useful for getting out of touch situations in battles.'

'Plus it would look very impressive in a contest,' Eric added.

Amy thought about that and then shrugged. 'I'm not really interested in entering contests.'

'Amy.' Amy turned to Professor Rowan who now approached them, 'that was very impressive. You have trained all the Pokémon exceptionally.' Amy flushed. 'If I had any doubts about giving you a Pokémon before, because you were an Outsider, you have wiped all those doubts away. I believe you when you say that you try not to overwork your Pokémon. They are devoted to you.'

Amy glanced down at the three starters around her legs. They all gazed back with smiles across their faces. Despite this, Amy was now crying.

'What's wrong?' Eric asked her.

'It's just,' Amy sobbed, 'just have I have to say goodbye to them now, don't I? I can't... it is traditional to start your Pokémon journey with one Pokémon, isn't it?'

'Traditionally, yes,' Rowan agreed. Amy sniffed loudly and sank to her knees. The Pokémon crowded around her and she stroked the head of each one of them in turn.

In her mind, she was trying to decide which one to have. Before the week began, her mind was almost certain it would be Piplup or Turtwig who evolved into useful, powerful Pokémon. But over the course of the week, she had gotten to know all of them and loved them all. She loved Chimchar's positive attitude and quick mind. She loved Piplup's caring spirit and determination. She loved Turtwig's steadfastness and eagerness to progress. There was no way she could choose.

'Traditionally,' Rowan was saying, 'you would start with one Pokémon. Traditionally, you would start immediately and get to know your Pokémon along the way. Traditionally, I wouldn't be giving any Pokémon to an Outsider.'

Amy blinked and looked up. Through her tears, she could see that Rowan was smiling.

'I'm not sure I understand you,' Amy mumbled.

'He's saying you can keep all three, ninny,' Oliver said pointedly.

Amy's mouth was half open. She didn't even chide Oliver for calling her a silly name. She turned back to Rowan. 'Really?'

'Well,' Rowan said, 'it would be totally against my practice and involves a lot of paperwork, but I had assumed I would have to do that anyway.' There was a large smile across his face.

'You mean it?' Amy gasped.

'Just accept it!' Oliver yelled at her.

'Shut up, squirt,' Amy and Eric said good-naturedly.

Amy bent down excitedly amongst the confused starters. 'You hear that guys,' she said, 'you're all coming with me.' There was much cheering.

Rowan smiled. He felt he was making the right decision. Palmer was nodding in agreement to his right, despite his assistants whispering to his left, looks of amazement or frowns upon their faces. He would have a word with a few of them later. He nodded at Roseanne and she stepped up to Amy now.

'Here is your Pokédex,' she said, handing the device down to Amy, 'I have recorded on there the Pokémon you saw in your fight today.'

'Thank you,' Amy stuttered. She took the Pokédex and beamed. 'I can't believe this.'

The boys helped her to her feet and then Eric suggested returning her new Pokémon to their poké balls. Amy nodded in a daze and promised them that she would let them out as soon as possible.

Rowan and Palmer saw them to the gate. Amy still hadn't woken up to the realisation that she was really going. Then she heard someone shouting her name.

A lot of long dark hair barrelled forwards and hit Amy in the midriff. 'You're going!' Dawn screamed in excitement and then stepped backwards in hesitance. 'You are, aren't you?'

'Yes, Dawn,' Amy said as it dawned upon her what was coming, 'yes, I am.' Her excitement escalated. 'I'm finally going on my Pokémon journey!'

She looked up. Mrs Foster, Johanna, Dawn and a couple of others from Twinleaf had come to see her off. Oliver ran over to join then, calling back over his shoulder to Eric, 'see, I don't need to worry about going home.'

'We couldn't let you go without a proper send off,' Mrs Foster smiled as Amy and Eric approached, 'so which one did you choose?'

'I was allowed all of them,' Amy said in a hoarse whisper. There was a stunned silence among the gathered.

'Really!' Johanna said, surprised. She lifted her gaze and spotted Palmer standing in the gateway.

'The girl has talent,' he said when their eyes met.

'Amy, we better get going,' Eric said.

Amy turned to the group. 'Go on, dear,' Mrs Foster encouraged.

'Be the best, sis,' Oliver grinned.

'Do Outsiders proud,' Rowan added.

Amy nodded. 'I will,' she said and then took a deep breath, 'I will, I promise. Goodbye!'

And so began her journey into the Pokémon world.

* * *

><p>Hopefully, this doesn't sound too unrealistic. I struggled with finding the right partner for Amy and there is a good reason later on why she has all three.<p>

But I hope you look forward to more adventures to come.

Next time: Amy faces her first attempt at catching a Pokémon. Who is it? Next time ;)

Please review!


	11. Gotta Catch Them All!

Amy completes her team! Beware: very long chapter ahead!

Plus you get an insight into Eric's family!

* * *

><p>Amy was walking ahead of Eric. He was too busy watching her, watching the bounce of her sandy hair on her back, the way her trainers kicked up dust, her jeans creasing slightly with every step she took. She had her jacket thrown over her shoulder-strap bag and let the warmth of the sun heat her bare forearms, her three quarter length shirt covered the rest. She turned to look back at him.<p>

'Are you coming?' He stared into hazel eyes. He felt a blush coming.

'Sure,' he said, quickening so that he drew level with her.

'Good,' she smiled at him. He looked straight on.

'So what are you planning on doing now?' he asked.

'I'm going to challenge the Oreburgh Gym of course. It's the nearest one.'

'I passed through Oreburgh on my way here,' Eric commented, 'there's a coal mine there, isn't there?'

'That's right,' Amy said with a smile, 'the gym is a rock gym.'

'Yes,' Eric said, slightly surprised, 'the new gym leader has been running it as a rock gym for about a year now. How did you know that? Does news really travel that fast?'

'It's only just become rock?' Amy said, startled, 'I didn't realise that!' She walked a while in silence before commenting, 'I wonder what other changes there are to the gym systems. You see, I know one set, but I've just realised that some of them might not exist. According to the anime, Maylene has only just become leaders when Ash went to challenge her.'

'What's an "anime"?' Eric asked, 'and who is Maylene?'

'An anime is a Japanese movie or TV cartoon,' Amy explained, 'and Maylene is the gym leader of Veilstone city, or she is in the games and when Ash challenges her.'

'Japanese? I'm guessing that's from a country in your world,' Eric said, bemused, 'I may not be an expert on such things but I know that there definitely is no-one called Maylene running the Veilstone gym.'

'It will be exciting to find out who is,' Amy said happily.

Eric walked on for a while before asking, 'and who is Ash?'

'The protagonist of the TV series I mentioned,' Amy said and then snorted, 'everything seems to happen to him. He meets all the legendary Pokémon, beats all the gyms but the producers are always careful to make sure that Ash loses enough, but beats his rivals when he needs to and isn't always the champion, but gets high enough that it can be considered good.' She shook her head, 'that kid gets everything.' She tilted her head back and looked up. 'I wonder if he really exists.'

'Who knows,' Eric said, 'we might meet him.'

Amy shook her head. 'We won't. He comes to Sinnoh when Dawn turns 10. When she gets her Piplup, Ash will be here.' She was still staring upwards. Slowly, she turned and faced the opposite direction.

'What are you...?' Eric began but Amy shushed him.

In the tree ahead of her, a Starly was settling down. It had flown over their heads and was now preparing for an afternoon nap. Amy had other plans for it.

'Chimchar, come on out!' she yelled, throwing the poké ball in the general direction of the tree. The fire Pokémon landed with a cry and faced its opponent. The Starly looked down in surprise.

'Chimchar, scratch attack, go!' Amy commanded. Chimchar obeyed without a problem, scampering up the tree to the branch on which the Starly rested. It turned its head and glared at the fire monkey. Chimchar reached out for it but it had taken flight. Chimchar, determined not to be easily beaten, jumped and grabbed its feet. The Starly squawked in surprise, lost height and both crash landed.

'Chimchar, are you ok?' Amy asked. Chimchar leapt to its feet with a 'Chim-chim-chimcharrrr!'

'Great!' Amy hurriedly continued as she saw the Starly get up too, 'use ember!' Chimchar's attack hit as the Starly struggled to take off, bringing it crashing back to earth again.

'Alright,' Amy said, unclipping the first of the five poké balls given to her by Lucas' dad when she set off from the lab that morning, 'let's give this a go!'

'Err... Amy,' Eric said hesitantly, 'are you sure you need that Starly?'

'What?' Amy said, bewildered.

'You have three Pokémon already,' Eric said, 'that's more than any normal rookie. You cover the basic types. Do you really need to add another Pokémon to your list?'

'I don't have a flying Pokémon,' Amy said pointedly and before Eric could say any more, she had tossed the poké ball at the Starly. It hit the back of Starly's neck and the Pokémon disappeared in a flash of red light. The poké ball hit the ground.

'Come on,' Amy hissed. The poké ball rocked once, twice and then Starly burst free in a stream of red colour. It glared at the disappointed Amy as she recollected the ball. 'Ok,' she muttered, 'Chimchar, scratch.'

Chimchar leapt at the flying Pokémon but Starly merely flapped out of reach. It was still staring at Amy.

'Try ember,' Amy ordered. The ember hit Starly in a wing and it dropped again. it landed so as to avoid using the damaged wing and came in with a tackle which Chimchar easily evaded. Starly stopped short of Amy and paused, as if waiting.

'Let's try again,' Amy said, throwing the poké ball once more. It bounced of Starly's head and Starly accepted the capture without complaint. 'Great!' Amy yelled as the ball flashed a confirmation, 'I've caught Starly!'

Chimchar jumped up and down in excitement and then clambered up Amy's body onto her shoulder. Eric sighed. 'Ok, you have to train it remember.'

Amy nodded and clipped the newly caught Starly to her belt. 'I know, I know, this is going to be great!'

The first night of Amy's Pokémon journey fell. Amy let all her Pokémon out so that Starly could get acquainted with Piplup and Turtwig. Her other Pokémon quickly warmed to her new flying Pokémon too. Starly even joined in the bubble popping training Amy had planned to routine into every day of her journey, or at least something similar. It ended with Starly facing off against Piplup, striking through the latter's bubble attacks to score a couple of direct hits. Amy called the match off when it got too dark. She left her Pokémon free of their balls for the night. Hoothoot and Starly got along very well and Amy fell asleep watching them chase one another between the trees.

Eric took a little longer. He was wondering about Amy's decision to catch the Starly. It was a good asset for her team; he had seen that instantly when Amy had done her routine training session at the end of the day. However, Eric worried about Amy. She had never travelled before. This was the first time she had had Pokémon. She had no idea what her limits are.

Let's hope this is where she ends, Eric thought, rolling over and closing his eyes.

* * *

><p><em>Shinx, the Flash Pokémon. The extension and contraction of its muscles generates electricity. It glows when in trouble then flees while the foe is momentarily blinded. <em>

'Piplup! Bubblebeam!'

'Amy, is this necessary?' Eric asked, watching the Shinx dive to one side to avoid the water move.

'I need an electric,' Amy said shortly, 'it's good for a well balanced team.'

'You have Turtwig. He can beat the water Pokémon.'

'And who is going to face flying?'

'Chimchar seems to be doing very well.'

'When he evolves he becomes fire/fighting. Not a good combo against the flying Pokémon then.'

'What about Piplup?'

'I'm sure he will be,' Amy murmured, 'I just want to be on the safe side.'

'What is up?' Eric persisted as Shinx took on Piplup's pound with a tackle attack.

'Not now,' Amy muttered, 'pound again!' Piplup leapt at the electric Pokémon. The Shinx growled and sparks flashed on its coat. 'Uh oh,' Amy whispered, 'Piplup stop!' Piplup skidded to a halt and looked round in confusion. The Shinx jumped. 'Piplup!'

The Shinx collided with Piplup's side, causing the penguin Pokémon to spin to one side and hit a tree. 'Piplup!' Amy screamed and ran to her Pokémon's side. The Shinx darted into the bushes. 'It was just charge,' Amy murmured as she cradled the fallen Pokémon in her arms, 'I thought it was spark.' She looked up at the Shinx had disappeared. 'That Pokémon has potential.'

'Amy, this is ridiculous,' Eric said, joining her, 'leave the Shinx. Let's get Piplup to a Pokémon centre.'

'No,' Amy said determinedly, 'I agree that we need to get Piplup looked at, but I want that Shinx, so I'm not letting it out of my sight!'

'Amy!' Eric grabbed his partner by the shoulders and forced her round to face him. 'Let it go. You sometimes have to put your Pokémon first, above what you want. It was a mistake to carry on the fight. Don't be so brash.'

Amy shrugged him off. 'I just don't want to end up like you,' she snapped and disappeared into the foliage.

Eric stared after her. 'What did she mean by that?' he said allowed, before sighing and following.

The Shinx was napping beneath a tree when Amy found it. 'Turtwig, you're up!' The Shinx looked up, bemused as the grass starter appeared before it. It was the same trainer from before, it remarked causally. This shouldn't be too difficult.

'Let's start things off with Razor Leaf!' Amy shouted. Turtwig's head dipped leaves spun. The Shinx, looking exceedingly uninterested, leapt away. it turned and gazed at them with a bored expression, 'shin-xsss.'

Amy growled. 'Tackle, let's go!' Turtwig charged forwards. The Shinx backed away then leapt over the oncoming Turtwig's head. It rebounded off a tree and came back with its own tackle.

'What!' Amy exclaimed, 'no way!'

'This Shinx has had training,' Eric remarked, emerging from the trees.

'What?'

'This Shinx has had a previous trainer.'

'How did you figure that out?'

'It's battling style. I think it unlikely that a wild Pokémon would come up with a move like that.'

'You never know...'

'You're right, I don't. But don't let that stop you.'

'I won't! Turtwig, razor leaf, come on!' leaves filled the air again. Shinx rolled out of the way. A bright light illuminated the area.

'What was that?' Amy yelled, shielding her eyes.

'Flash!' Eric shouted back, and then a chuckle escaped his lips, 'the flash Pokémon uses flash.'

'Yes,' Amy growled when she could see again, 'very funny. Definitely had a trainer prior to this. Turtwig, tackle then withdraw! You know what to do!' Turtwig nodded and began to charge at the Shinx. Midway through a leap, it withdrew into its shell. Like a speeding bullet it rocketed across the dirt towards the Shinx.

The Shinx raised an eyebrow and neatly hopped over Turtwig as it approached. It landed on its back and took off again, adding to Turtwig's momentum. The grass Pokémon shot past its target and collided with a tree.

'Good in open spaces,' Eric commented as Amy ran towards the injured Pokémon, 'not so good if it will collide with something.'

'Not helping, Eric!'

'Just saying.'

'Are you sure you want to continue?' Amy asked the dizzy Turtwig. Turtwig began to nod, but winced at the massive headache. 'Okay, get some rest,' Amy withdrew Turtwig then stood and faced the Shinx. She was surprised that it had not run off. Shinx regarded her with interest. Why was she so interested in me, it wondered?

'Starly, you're up!' The bird Pokémon appeared in a flash of red light. Shinx shuddered. It remembered its defeat at the hands of this Pokémon. It remembered its master leaving it. It glared at the new trainer before it. Did she want to gloat? Did she know of that battle?

Amy knew nothing of the Shinx's history. All she knew was that a sudden change had come over the electric Pokémon. 'What's up?' she called to it. It glared at her and then at her Starly. She looked between them. 'Seriously, what's up?'

'I don't think it likes Starly,' Eric said.

'Do they know one another?' Amy asked.

'It can't be that,' Eric said thoughtfully, 'but if Shinx was really owned by another trainer, maybe it came across a Starly and didn't come off so well.'

'So its trainer abandoned it,' Amy said scornfully, 'that's just wrong.' She paused, glancing at the steadily increasingly furious Shinx, 'but it doesn't know any electric moves except charge otherwise it would have used them on Piplup. Therefore it can't have been with that trainer for long...'

Shinx didn't give Amy another chance to think by leaping at Starly. Amy glanced up as blue fur streaked past her and only had time to cry out, 'Starly! Wing attack!' before Shinx was upon the flying type, sparks flying from its fur. The wing attack caught it across the face and spent it spinning into a tree. Shinx got steadily to its feet and launched itself back for another attack. 'Starly, go high,' Amy called out. Starly flew higher into the tree branches. Shinx glared at it from the ground.

Amy approached it slowly. 'I think I know what's wrong with you,' she said slowly, 'you were abandoned by your trainer after losing to a Starly. You can't have been with your trainer for very long right, so they released you because they thought you were weak.' She paused for a second, 'kind of like Paul from the Diamond and Pearl series. From what I saw of him, he acted just like that. Quite a few Outsider trainers I hear take example from him.'

'How would you know that?' Eric asked curiously.

'I live in Twinleaf,' Amy said pointedly, 'that is the protagonist's hometown in the games. Many Outsiders came to see the legendary town, even if there was barely anything to do. I got to hear a couple of views on training from them. Most of the time, I admit, I was trying to keep Dawn out of their sights.'

'Why?'

'She's a protagonist.' Amy returned her attention to the Shinx. 'I know you have been through a lot. But I want to prove to you that not all trainers are like that.' She was thoughtful for a moment before saying, 'I know. Chimchar, Turtwig, help me out!' the two starters appeared before her and stood to attention.

'Hi,' Amy said to them, swivelling them around to face the Shinx, 'Shinx, this is my Chimchar and you've sort of met Turtwig. Guys, I want you to talk to Shinx. He's having issues with trainers at the moment.' Leaving the Pokémon to it, Amy called up to Starly, 'can you find where the nearest Pokémon centre is?' Starly crowed a reply and flapped off.

'What are you doing?' Eric asked, approaching slowly.

'If there is anything I've learnt from the anime and spending time with these guys,' Amy said, 'is that sometimes Pokémon can be the best teachers. If Shinx does not trust people, he might trust other Pokémon.'

'Right,' Eric said firmly, 'if you mention this "anime" once more, I'm going to walk away.'

'Aw! Come on,' Amy complained, 'I'm an Outsider. The games and anime were my only insight into the Pokémon world before I came here. I still don't have a clue how that managed to happen so I have to hold on to my resources. You've lived here all your life! You're ahead of me when it comes to looking after Pokémon.'

'Fine,' Eric scowled, 'but you're sounding an awful lot like my brother.'

'You have a brother?' Amy said, amazed. Eric barely mentioned his family before. 'Is he younger than you?'

'One of them is,' Eric muttered, 'can we not talk about it?'

'Alright.' A wing beat overhead snapped the pair out of their conversation. Starly had returned. 'You found a centre?' Starly nodded. 'Lead the way! Chimchar, Turtwig, follow me.' Amy dived through the trees after the disappearing Starly, her starter Pokémon hot on her heels. Eric sighed and followed them. Glancing back, he realised that Shinx was now following them, keeping a safe distance.

'You know Shinx is right behind us?' he said to Amy as they rejoined the road and headed along it. sure enough, a log cabin baring the Pokémon centre logo appeared on the horizon.

'He is? Good.'

'You had this planned?'

'Well, he wasn't going to come if I forced him.'

'Sneaky,' Eric commented.

Amy flashed him a grin. 'It's all about discerning the nature of the Pokémon. Shinx doesn't take lightly to brute force, seeing how he has been treated like that before. To heal a broken person, you have to show them kindness. I suppose you have to do the same for Pokémon.'

Eric blinked at her. 'Where did you learn that?'

Amy shrugged, 'one of the girls at my gymnastics class was fostered. She went through dozens of foster homes. She was really nasty to her foster mother because of her previous experiences. I remember her foster mother having a conversation with my mum about it. I only remember because I was begging to go home at that point.'

'Figures.'

'But I do remember what she said about healing a broken spirit. Shinx's spirit has been broken when it was released by its trainer. So I'm going to have to fix that.' She pushed open the door to the Pokémon Centre and then looked back at Shinx. Shinx froze.

'Do you want to come in?' she asked. Shinx began to back away. Chimchar and Turtwig beckoned to it. After a couple of seconds debating, Shinx leapt up the steps and followed Amy and Eric into the Pokémon centre.

'Good afternoon,' said the nurse Joy behind the counter. 'How can I help you today?'

'My Piplup's not feeling great,' Amy said, placing Piplup's poké ball on the countertop, 'and my Turtwig could do with a check up too after his fierce battle with Shinx. She glanced down at the flash Pokémon who was standing at her feet. 'Do you want a check up too Shinx?' Shinx looked away. Amy giggled. 'Okay then, fine.' She turned back to the Nurse Joy, who looked puzzled.

'Is that Shinx yours?'

'No, he's technically wild,' Amy admitted.

'We have worked out that he had a previous owner,' Eric added, 'who abandoned him after he lost a battle, probably against a Starly.'

'A Shinx that lost against a Starly,' Nurse Joy said thoughtfully. She took Piplup and Turtwig away for the healing process, leaving the two young trainers to watch the Shinx, who was currently listening to Chimchar.

'Don't you think it's weird how Pokémon communicate with one another?' Amy asked.

'I hear there are experts who work on trying to decipher the language in which Pokémon talk,' Eric said, 'I read about it in a paper my brother brought back from his travels once.'

'Ah!' Amy said teasingly, 'so this older brother of yours travels. What else does he do?'

'Mind your own business.'

'I was only asking!'

'Please,' Eric begged, 'I'll tell you later, promise.'

'Fine,' Amy scowled, 'so do you have a lot of brothers?'

'Just the two, one older and one younger. I have a sister too.'

'How old is she?'

'She's seven. My other brother is nine.'

'So he'll be starting his Pokémon journey soon!'

'He just turned nine, so I doubt it will be for some time.'

'Oh...' Amy glanced around as Nurse Joy returned. Piplup and Turtwig were sitting on her trolley being pushed by Chansey, healthy as can be. Amy let her Pokédex run whilst she turned to her starters. 'Yay! You two are okay!'

_Chansey, the Egg Pokémon and the evolved form of Happiny. It is said to deliver happiness. Chansey lays several highly nutritious eggs which it shares with injured people or Pokémon. It is said that Chansey will not share its eggs with those who have evil in thier heart._

Piplup leapt into Amy's arms as she patted Turtwig on the head. Then it turned and glared at the Shinx on the ground. 'It's okay Piplup,' Amy reassured the water Pokémon, 'Shinx just followed us here. It's not here to battle.'

'You know you mentioned that you think that Shinx lost to a Starly?' Nurse Joy said as Amy placed Piplup on the ground to get acquainted with Shinx. 'I think I remember that match, it happened right outside this Pokémon Centre.'

'Really?' Amy stood up, intrigued, 'what happened?'

'It was two Outsider trainers,' Nurse Joy explained ("Told you so," Amy murmured. "I didn't disagree," was Eric's whispered response), 'they were testing out the new Pokémon they had caught. It was a group of them. The Shinx's trainer thought he would win, due to type advantage, but he ended up losing because Shinx knew no electric moves. He dumped the Shinx on my counter to be healed. When I returned, he told me to keep it, said he didn't want something weak on his team. Then he walked out. When Shinx tried to follow, he threw rocks at it. The Starly trainer laughed at it. Then the Shinx ran off.'

'How horrible!' Amy looked down at the Shinx, who was warming up to her starters, but still regarded Starly with hostile. Amy clicked her fingers, 'I think I know how to solve this.' They all looked round at her. 'A rematch: Shinx vs. Starly!'

'Are you sure that's wise?' Eric asked as Amy approached Shinx and knelt down to the flash Pokémon.

'I'm not going to force it,' Amy said, 'it's Shinx's choice. Do you want to face my Starly?' Shinx looked up at the flying Pokémon and nodded. 'Alright!'

Outside, the two Pokémon faced one another. Amy turned to Eric. 'Do you mind supervising Starly?'

'This is Starly's first battle,' Eric pointed out, 'are you sure you don't want to be on its side?'

Amy looked across at the bird Pokémon. 'I think right now, Shinx needs a trainer more than Starly does. I'm sure Starly will put his all into it!' Starly chirped in agreement.

'Okay,' Eric walked so he was on Starly's side. Amy joined Shinx. Shinx looked up warily at her.

Amy smiled down at it. 'It's okay,' she said, 'I'm here to help you.' Shinx looked back across the field. His eyes narrowed.

'Let's kick things off,' Eric said, 'Starly! Wing attack!'

'Dodge it, Shinx,' Amy called out. Shinx leapt to one side. Starly, without faulting, swerved and collided. 'Nice one, Starly!' Shinx looked reproachfully at her. 'He is still my Pokémon; I feel I should congratulate him. But I won't let him get the upper hand,' she added as Shinx looked scornfully away, 'Shinx, Leer!'

'Counter it with Growl,' Eric commanded.

'Rats,' Amy hissed as the two moves nullified one another, Leer lowering Starly's defence as Growl lowered Shinx's offence. I need to think up a new strategy, she thought, Starly is very offensive. I saw that last night: Tackle, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, even growl, they're all offensive moves. As far as I'm aware, Shinx only knows Tackle, Leer, Flash and Charge, defensive moves but they're not going to win me the match.

'Okay, let's try a new tactic,' she called out, 'try tackle.'

'Counter with Quick Attack,' Eric said. Starly slammed into Shinx faster and more ferocious than the latter's attack. Shinx hit the dirt as Starly swooped overhead. Shinx cast a fearful glance at Amy before running for the trees.

'Wait!' Amy cried out but Shinx was gaining speed, not looking back. There was a streak of black and white and Starly landed in front of Shinx. It spread its wings and did not let Shinx pass.

'What's going on?' Amy queried.

'I think Starly wants Shinx to finish the match,' Eric said.

'Come on Shinx,' Amy called out, 'if you don't face your fears, you'll keep going in circles. You need to get up and tackle the problem head on.' With that, Shinx leapt forwards and headbutted Starly with an impressive close range Tackle. 'Wasn't exactly what I was meaning,' Amy murmured, 'but, if this means you're continuing, go for it!'

Starly took off and began circling over Shinx's head. Shinx glared up at the Pokémon. It slowly began to back into the main arena. Eric yelled, 'Starly, wing attack!'

'Dodge with Flash!' Amy countered. A bright illumination lit the area as Starly dived. It missed its target and hit the ground. 'Tackle!' Starly was knocked one side by the flash Pokémon. 'Now use Leer.'

When Starly opened its eyes, there was Shinx in its face. Starly shivered. 'Tackle attack,' both trainers cried out.

'Take off, Starly!' Starly leapt up as Shinx rolled backwards.

Flash worked, Amy thought, it was a good technique. Let's see if it would work for a second time. I wonder...

'Charge, Shinx,' Shinx nodded and sparks began to flicker on its coat.

'What good is that?' Eric asked, 'you don't have any electric moves. Starly, let's finish this, Wing Attack!'

'Whoever said I was charging up for an electric move?' Amy asked, 'Flash!'

The brilliance of the given flash blinded everyone: Amy, Starly, Eric, Amy's starters, even Nurse Joy and Chansey who had come out to watch. Amy took advantage of everyone's disadvantage; calling out, 'Now, Tackle!'

When the brilliance finally faded, Starly was lying on the ground and was not getting back up. Amy ran over and cradled it in her arms. 'You were amazing, Starly!' she said proudly. Starly tweeted softly. Amy handed it over to Nurse Joy to tend to before turning to Shinx. 'You were stunning!' Shinx hung its head, 'you really were.' Amy knelt down before Shinx and stroked the top of its head, 'you have a great combo of moves. I think you'll do really well.' Shinx let out a cry and leapt into Amy's arms.

'I think its warmed to you,' Eric chuckled. Amy laughed and put Shinx back on the ground.

'Does this mean you want to come with me?' Shinx nodded. 'Alright!' Amy felt her belt and pulled out a bright red ball, 'go poké ball!' It hit Shinx on the head, bounced off and the flash Pokémon disappeared in a flash of red light. The ball rocked once, twice, three times and then clicked.

'I've got Shinx!' Amy yelled, leaping to her feet. They all cheered in happiness. 'Come back out, buddy!' Shinx greeted her cheerfully and nuzzled itself against her legs. It instantly was berated by Amy's other starters who began calling for her attention. 'Ah...'

'You're attention will be even more divided now,' Eric commented. 'I can whoop your ass though,' was the immediate response. Eric sighed but couldn't stop grinning. 'Are you going to stop catching Pokémon now? That is five you now own.'

'I suppose,' Amy said, flicking hair from her face. 'But it means that I will be a difficult opponent.'

'I'll second that,' Eric muttered as Starly reappeared with Nurse Joy.

'I'm so happy for you,' Nurse Joy said as Amy informed her of what had happened. 'I've never seen anyone who can battle like you do for some time. I'm sure you'll be an excellent trainer for Shinx.'

'What do you say gang?' Amy asked the group of Pokémon, 'a short training session to introduce our new friend before we turn in.' The Pokémon chorused in agreement. 'Let's go!'

Eric grinned. Some things wouldn't change.

* * *

><p>Next time: Amy faces rookie trainers. In her opinion, it's her first proper battle. She can triumph, right?<p> 


	12. Rookies

You learn more about Amy's mission, sort of.

Claimer: I do own Harry and Joey, despite their unoriginal names.

* * *

><p>'Are we nearly there yet?'<p>

'No.'

'Are we there now?'

'No, Amy.'

'Now?'

'Amy, were you not aware when we set out how long it takes to get to places?'

'I thought we would be there by now! It seemed like minutes on the bus.'

'It probably is, but it is part of the Pokémon journey experience to walk.'

'It's also very boring.'

'Personally,' Eric said, 'I like walking. It gives you time to think.'

'About what?' Amy demanded.

Eric shrugged. 'Lots of things.'

'Like?'

'Like why do you have so many Pokémon?'

'Why do you only have Hoothoot?'

Eric stopped walking. 'That's what you meant wasn't it! When you said that, "you didn't want to end up like me"!'

'Duh! Sheesh, Eric, it's been days!'

'Only two.'

'Days!'

'Still...'

There was an awkward pause. Finally Amy asked, 'why do you only have Hoothoot?'

Eric shrugged. 'I just never bothered catching another Pokémon.'

'You do know how, right?'

'How what?'

'How to catch Pokémon?'

'Sure I do. I just haven't found a Pokémon that appeals to me.'

'But you've been everywhere!'

'Not everywhere,' Eric sighed. He began walking again. Amy bounced behind him. She enjoyed teasing him. But even that got boring after Eric refused to respond to her.

'I'm bored,' Amy said a while later.

'I guessed,' Eric muttered flatly. He sighed and pulled a town map out of his backpack. Amy came to stand beside him as he studied it. 'We're here,' he said eventually, 'so we haven't got that far to go. Make you feel better?'

'Suppose,' Amy murmured, 'I just wish there was something better to do than talk or think in silence.'

'Hey! You!' The shout came from behind them. Amy looked in the direction it came from. Two boys, both about ten, were standing some distance away.

Eric sighed and put the town map away. 'The main reason trainers walk is so others can challenge them,' he said before turning too, 'what?'

'We want to challenge you two to a Pokémon battle!' the ten year old on the left yelled. He was wearing a baseball cap on back to front in a style that he clearly thought looked cool. Amy thought it looked silly. It made his blonde hair stick straight down into his eyes. He kept blinking very rapidly when the spiky ends blinded him.

'Rookies,' Eric stated.

Amy was getting excited. 'My first Pokémon battle,' she said happily, bouncing slightly on the spot.

'And the previous three don't count because?' Eric queried.

'Three?'

'The battle against the jerks by the lake, your battle against Palmer for the starter Pokémon and your battle against me two days ago with Shinx and Starly,' Eric listed.

'The first one can't exactly count because... it wasn't expected; the battle against Palmer was with "lent" Pokémon, fighting so that I could keep them, I don't count it anyway; and our battle was with my own Pokémon.'

'Hello!' shouted the boy on the right. He was without a baseball cap but his hair was such a mess, Amy thought covering it up would have been an improvement. Amy couldn't help thinking how similarly they both were dressed in t-shirts and shorts. 'Are we battling or not?'

'Are you going to battle them?' Amy asked Eric.

'You can have this one,' Eric said with a smile.

Amy rolled her eyes and stepped forwards, 'I accept your challenge.'

The boys turned to Eric, 'what about him?'

'He only has one Pokémon,' Amy said carelessly, whilst Eric facepalmed behind her, 'he doesn't matter. It's me you should be afraid of.'

'Nah!' the boy on the left said, stepping up to face Amy, 'I doubt it. I'll go first.' He drew a poké ball out of his bag and tossed it into the air, 'go Cherubi!'

Amy held out her Pokédex at the same time as rummaging in her bag for a poké ball:

_Cherubi, the Cherry Pokémon. Sunlight colours it red. When the small ball is drained of nutrients, it shrivels to herald evolution. The small ball is not only full of nutrients; apparently, it is very sweet and tasty. Starly try to peck it off._

'In that case, Starly, you give this a go.' A flash of red light and the bird Pokémon appeared. The rookie trainer didn't look as cocky as before. He glanced over his shoulder at his companion who urged him on.

'Err, okay,' he mumbled, 'Cherubi, Leech Seed.'

'Dodge it and use Wing Attack,' Amy said. Starly dodged the poorly aimed Leech Seed with ease and hit Cherubi with a strong Wing Attack. Cherubi cried out as it was knocked backwards.

'Come on,' the boy's companion complained. The rookie scowled.

'Stop that,' he snapped. 'Cherubi, Tackle.'

'Counter with Tackle,' Amy said. The two Pokémon collided and recoiled, Cherubi taking the worse damage.

'Cherubi, restore your health with Morning Sun,' the rookie ordered.

'Good,' Amy said teasingly, 'so you do actually know how to battle.'

'Of course I do!' the rookie shouted. He took Amy's bait, 'Cherubi, tackle!'

'Wing Attack!' Amy ordered. The Wing Attack landed, supereffective, against the grass Pokémon. Cherubi landed on the ground hard. 'And again!'

The next time Cherubi hit the ground, it did not get back up. 'I think it's unable to battle,' Eric told the disappointed trainer.

'Return Cherubi,' the trainer said sadly. He stared glumly at his poké ball. 'Oh man...'

'Move it, Joey,' his companion said bossily, pushing the sulking trainer aside, 'my turn.'

'Wait, that's it?' Amy asked, 'he only has one Pokémon.'

'Yeah,' the second rookie shouted, 'and it's useless. It barely scratched your Starly.'

'I'd love to see you do better,' Amy taunted. Meanwhile, Eric moved around to stand by the snivelling Joey.

'Cheer up,' he said with a smile, 'this is your first Pokémon battle, right?'

'Y-yeah,' Joey sniffed. 'We only just set out... like only just set out.'

'Where are you from?'

'Jubilife city.'

'And you walked here?'

'Yeah.'

'Hear that Amy,' Eric called across the battle field, 'these boys are from Jubilife, so we haven't got far to go.'

'Great,' Amy replied, 'let me beat this junior and then we can get on our way.'

'Who are you calling junior?' her opposition demanded, 'my name's Harry and don't you forget it because soon everyone will be cheering for me as ultimate champion.'

'Yeah because Harry is really a champion's name,' Amy teased, 'and what's up with "ultimate champion"? Is being a normal champion not good enough for you?'

'You may laugh now,' Harry shouted, 'but when you're a champion you get respected. And that's what I'm going to be. Now let's battle.'

'Bring it on,' Amy retorted, withdrawing Starly.

'Go Aipom,' Harry shouted. A flash of bright red light and the monkey Pokémon with the massive hand on the end of its tail appeared on the battle field.

_Aipom, the Long Tail Pokémon. It lives high among the treetops. It wraps its tail around a branch so it won't fall off while asleep. Its tail is more adept than its real hands. It uses its tail to pluck fruits that are out of reach._

'Personally, I've always thought that third hand on its tail looked more clumsy that its other hands,' Amy remarked, 'it's so big. I always compared it to a cow's udder or an inflated rubber glove.' Harry ground his teeth together. Amy noticed. 'What aren't people entitled to their own opinions?' she put her Pokédex away and pulled out a poké ball. 'Chimchar, come on out!' The fire starter appeared in the grass between her and Harry.

'You've been to see Professor Rowan!' Harry exclaimed enviously, 'That's so unfair!'

'Why? Did your parents not register? Can parents do that?'

'Sure,' Eric said, 'my parents didn't register so that they could get me... well technically my brother got me Hoothoot. Some parents opt to catch or buy their children's starters rather than registering for a starter from the regional Professor. Some parents believe that the Pokémon they get would be more suited to their child. For others it's less paperwork and less hassle. It makes senses for a ten-year-old from Twinleaf to get a starter from Professor Rowan, but not for a child in Snowpoint for example, because of the distance between the towns.'

'Suppose,' Amy mumbled.

'How do you not know that?' Harry demanded, 'where have you been for all your life? Or are you just really thick?'

'I'm an Outsider,' Amy told him, 'I work on a different system to the rest of the world.'

'Not from me,' Harry said haughtily, 'I'm an Outsider too. So is Joey.'

There was an awkward pause. 'Really?' Amy asked.

'Yeah,' Harry replied as if it was obvious.

'Name me the three games set in the Sinnoh region.'

'Diamond, Pearl and Platinum,' Harry said immediately, 'the protagonists are Dawn or Lucas depending. Your rival is Barry, son of Palmer. Baddies are Team Galactic, led by Cyrus. Main events happen at Spear Pillar located in Mt Coronet.'

'Okay! I believe you,' Amy said sheepishly. 'Yeah, I got my starters from Professor Rowan.'

'Starters,' Joey cried out, picking up on Amy's slip of the tongue, 'you mean you got more than one!'

'I got all three,' Amy mumbled.

'What!' both boys glared at her. 'That is so unfair. How come? Why don't we get some? Give us one!' The boys began to advance towards Amy.

Eric intercepted. 'Amy got all three starters because she's on a special mission from Professor Rowan,' he told the boys.

'What?' Harry demanded grumpily, 'to complete a Pokédex?'

'No,' Eric shook his head, 'Amy's mission is more important. You see, Outsiders have been given a bad name over the years as bad trainers. You find people tell stories all the time about Outsiders who abuse their Pokémon, mistreat them and are generally horrible. Even I believed they were bad until I met Amy. Amy is different. She really cares. I bet you do too, but Amy was chosen by Professor Rowan to stand out against the norm.'

'Why her?' Harry insisted.

'Because he knew her,' Eric replied simply, 'he has the support of Palmer, however. They both believe that Amy can defy the stereotype.'

'Really,' Harry snapped, 'I don't.'

'Battle me, and find out then,' Amy retorted, stepping around Eric, Chimchar at her heels.

'Fine. Aipom, start off the battle with Scratch!'

'Keep it away with Ember,' Amy told Chimchar. The fire starter nodded and let out a burst of flame into Aipom's face. Aipom staggered backwards, and then at Harry's command, flicked itself up onto its tail and jumped. 'Oh my,' Amy murmured.

Aipom began to descend down onto Chimchar. 'Swift!' Harry called out. Stars began to rain down on Chimchar. Chimchar covered its head with its hands and let out a cry of pain. 'Now use Fury Swipes.' Aipom began swiping at the cowering Chimchar with sharp claws.

'Chimchar, snap out of it and use Scratch,' Amy yelled. Chimchar raised its head and scratched Aipom down its face. This only seemed to anger the opposing Aipom further and it continued swiping in fury. 'Leer!' Chimchar ducked the striking claws and pressed its face close to Aipom's. Aipom shivered. 'Now use Scratch and keep on using it!'

Chimchar seemed to have gained the upper hand. It was consistently slashing at Harry's Aipom and then, Amy began to notice something. White claws seemed to have extended from Chimchar's hands and its movements seemed more fluid than before.

'Has Chimchar just learnt Fury Swipes?' Amy queried.

'I think so,' Eric said, just as amazed as Amy.

'Cool,' Amy muttered, 'go Chimchar!'

'Aipom, bring this back under control with Tickle,' Harry ordered.

'Chimchar, avoid it,' Amy yelled. Chimchar somersaulted over Aipom's reaching tail and then scratched it. An idea came to Amy. 'Grab Aipom by the tail.' Chimchar's small hands closed around Aipom's tail, just above the start of Aipom's third hand. 'Now spin round and round and round with it.' Chimchar started spinning on the spot, whirling Aipom high above its head. 'Now use Ember, whilst still spinning.' The fiery torrent was released creating a big ball of flames. When it was extinguished, Chimchar threw Aipom into the ground and it did not get back up.

'Aipom is unable to battle,' Eric said, 'Chimchar wins.'

Amy rubbed the celebrating Chimchar on the top of its head. 'You were amazing,' she said happily, 'have a good rest.' A flash of red light and Chimchar disappeared. Amy straightened up and added, 'That means I win, I guess.'

'Whoever said I only had one Pokémon?' Harry demanded, pulling a second Poké ball from his pocket. 'I've been a trainer longer than Joey. I have a second Pokémon.'

'Oh, good,' Amy said. She pulled a poké ball out of her pocket, 'let's have a go at it shall we?'

'Alright,' Harry agreed, 'go Wingull!'

_Wingull, the Seagull Pokémon. It makes its nest on steep sea cliffs. Catching sea winds with its long wings, it soars as if it were a glider. It folds its wings to rest and carries food tucked in its bill._

'What a stroke of luck, I was planning on using this anyway,' Amy murmured, 'go Turtwig!' the two Pokémon faced each other across the dirt battlefield.

'I'll go first,' Harry shouted, 'Wingull, Wing Attack!'

'Withdraw, Turtwig,' Amy countered. Turtwig withdrew into its shell as Wingull slashed down with its wing on Turtwig's back. It still made Turtwig shift backwards in the dirt. 'Now use Razor Leaf!'

'Dodge it Wingull,' Harry ordered. Wingull shifted with the breeze above Turtwig's head, dodging the various streaks of leaves that flew past it. 'Now use Water Gun!'

'We both know that Water Gun isn't very effective against Turtwig,' Amy pointed out as Wingull drenched the grass Pokémon.

'I know, but it distracted you,' Harry pointed out, 'now use Wing Attack!'

'Turtwig!' Amy cried out as Wingull brought a glowing wing down hard on Turtwig's head. Turtwig winced as Wingull raised its wing to attack again. 'Turtwig, use Absorb!' Due to the close range, Wingull could not get away in time. Red beams connected it to Turtwig as Turtwig began draining Wingull's energy. 'Now use Tackle,' Amy said. The Tackle appeared more like a headbutt as Turtwig charged head on to Wingull.

'Wingull, get this battle back under our control and use Wing Attack,' Harry shouted.

'Razor Leaf, Turtwig,' Amy yelled, 'fill the air with leaves.' Turtwig obeyed. The sight that followed reminded Amy of the training week when Turtwig's aim with Razor Leaf had been extremely poor. Wingull was having difficulty flying through the mass of leaves. Turtwig was just shaking its head back and forth, eyes closed, constantly firing off the leaves.

It took Harry a while to respond. 'Wingull, use Water Gun to knock down the leaves.'

This was what Amy was waiting for. 'Turtwig, move underneath Wingull.' Whilst Wingull was distracted knocking the leaves out of the air so that it could move, Turtwig positioned itself beneath the seagull Pokémon. 'Now use Razor Leaf.'

'Look out Wingull,' Harry cried out, but it was too late. The Razor Leaf landed a direct hit on the preoccupied Wingull, flipping it over.

'Finish off with Tackle!'

When the dust cleared, Harry had lost. He picked up his knocked out Wingull with a gentle smile. 'That was a good try, Wingull,' he said softly, withdrawing the water/flying Pokémon. Then he returned his attention to Amy. 'That was a good battle,' he said, offering her a hand, 'I hope we can have a rematch sometime.'

Amy took the proffered hand and shook it. 'I agree,' she said with a grin.

* * *

><p>'You are really lucky to have Starter Pokémon from Professor Rowan,' Joey said to Amy later. The foursome was seated underneath a tree and had released all their Pokémon so they could play together. Amy smiled at him.<p>

'I know.'

'And you grew up in Twinleaf.'

'Well, that wasn't so much fun. There's really much to do in Twinleaf except go to the shops or the lake. I'm much more jealous of those who grew up in Jubilife or Veilstone City, at least there's interesting things there.'

'Depends where you grew up in Jubilife,' Joey muttered, staring at his Cherubi was playing with Amy's Turtwig in the bushes opposite them, 'if you had parents, it's great. But Harry and I grew up in an Outsider hostel, a house owned by Outsiders who open it to new Outsiders arriving until they leave for their journey. Not really a home as such, but it's been that for a few months.'

'How old are you?' Amy asked out of curiosity.

'Ten.'

'Exactly?'

'I don't know,' Joey admitted. 'I'm not sure any Outsider knows their exact age, because we all changed ages. I'd guess about ten and two months.'

'Only two months,' Amy murmured, 'it took two months for the Outsider committee to get you a Pokémon!'

'Yeah,' Joey said, 'Harry got his about a month before me, but he is older.'

'And I'm older still,' Amy complained. Harry and Eric looked across at them now, 'I had to wait four months before Professor Rowan got talked into giving me a chance by my foster mother and Johanna. Even then I had a week trial period beforehand, to see whether I was a decent trainer.'

'Outsiders in the city are given priority over fostered Outsiders,' Joey explained, 'on account of the fact that there are so many of us.'

'It's still unfair!'

'You got all three Starters from Rowan,' Harry snapped pointedly, 'would you prefer to have got a Pokémon from the committee?'

Amy stared at her playing Pokémon, a smile creeping onto her face. 'No,' she whispered, 'I wouldn't have it any other way.'

'You're not the first Outsider to think the system unfair,' Harry said, joining Amy and Joey, Eric following, 'we had a boy in our hostel who agreed with you. He hated the fact that we were put beneath Residential trainers. He borrowed a Pokémon from our host and set off to see Professor Rowan about it. I think he was rejected because he came back in a furious temper. When it was his turn to choose a Pokémon from the committee, he not only took the Pokémon, he stole the Pokémon he borrowed from our host. He's not returned since.'

'Being rejected seriously made him do that?' Amy asked.

'This was a year ago,' Harry said reassuringly, 'but yeah, some Outsiders decide to take matters into their own hands because they don't believe the committee is doing anything.' Amy and Eric exchanged a glance, both remembering the two boys who had stolen the Starter Pokémon when Amy had first visited.

Amy nodded and told Harry and Joey the story behind how she got all three Starters. 'If they hadn't stolen the Pokémon, I wouldn't have met all of them and wouldn't have wanted to try working with all of them.'

'It's weird,' Joey agreed, 'maybe that's why you're meant to have all the Starters. You have clearly been set aside by Professor Rowan and Palmer to be an example to Outsiders: doing good has its rewards.'

Amy reflected on this then smiled. 'I'll try my best.'

Smiles all round as the two groups departed; Amy and Eric in the direction of Jubilife; Harry and Joey towards Sandgem where they planned to see the Professor's lab and Lake Verity, despite Amy's insistence that there was nothing to see.

'Who knows,' Joey said excitedly as they walked off, 'we might see Dawn, Barry or Lucas!'

'Don't go looking for them!' Amy shouted after them, 'that's the last thing Dawn needs.'

Harry stopped walking as Amy and Eric continued. 'You know Dawn!' he screamed in their direction, 'that is so unfair!' Amy laughed until they were out of sight.

'It's interesting to hear more about what is happening to other Outsiders,' Eric said thoughtfully.

'Eric?'

'Yeah.'

'You do know that I have no choice now. I wanted a normal Pokémon journey. That's not going to happen now, is it? I have to defy what everybody believes about Outsiders.'

'Yeah. Sorry about that.'

'No, thank you. You were just defending me. I'm thanking you, Eric.'

Eric grinned nervously and then looked away. 'So do you have any idea on how you're going to do it?'

Amy walked in silence for a while before saying, 'I'm going to become a champion.'

'What?'

'You heard Harry. Champions get respect and are looked up to. So far, no Outsider has ever become a champion because, ultimately, a champion understands more about Pokémon that any Outsider could. They know what loving Pokémon can achieve. So far, no Outsider has achieved the level of respect and love with their Pokémon that a champion does.'

'And you will?'

'I'll try.'

'For an Outsider,' Eric mused as they walked, 'you really have had it well. You've got to be friends with Dawn, you live in Twinleaf which is apparently a good place for Outsiders, and you've gotten Starter Pokémon from Professor Rowan.'

'Yeah,' Amy murmured in agreement. 'I wonder what else is in store for me.'

* * *

><p>So much more.<p>

Next time: Amy meets up with Jonathon in Jubilife and accept a mission from an upset little girl. But Amy soon realises that somethings are not right. Who is the figure in the shadows? Who are the two sinister people lurking around Jubilife? Was that... Team Galatic? Find out next time.


	13. Kricketot Totter Off

Thank you for all the people who have sent in the encouraging reviews. I'll keep updating just for you. :D

* * *

><p>'You're certain that it's this way this time?'<p>

'Positive, Eric. Don't you trust me?'

'Oh, I trust you Amy, but I'm starting to have serious doubts about your navigating system.'

Upon arriving in Jubilife city, Amy insisted that she introduced Eric to Jonathon. She also insisted that she knew the way to Jonathon's house. However, after wondering around in a circle for a while, Eric realised something about Amy's navigation device.

'Amy, how long have you been using that map?'

'This,' Amy held up the tourist map she was using, 'Belia gave it to me when I got lost last time. I've been using it since we got into Jubilife.'

'Did she tell you which way up to hold it?' Eric said, sighing, reaching past Amy and twisting the map around. 'Most tourists to Jubilife would come via the big cities in Sinnoh: Hearthome, Veilstone and Sunnyshore. Therefore, the mapmakers would design the tourist map for them. Here is where we came in, not here,' Eric pointed out the different routes on the map.

He was midway through explaining how to get to the Pokémon centre when Amy shoved the map into his chest and said crossly, 'you read it.'

Eric raised his eyebrows as she stormed away. 'If you insist,' he murmured, following her.

* * *

><p>They stopped by at the Pokémon centre before Amy recognised the way to the park and from there to Belia and Jarrett's apartment. Eric and Amy stood outside it. Eric's mouth had dropped open.<p>

'Wow,' he said, staring at the posh golden leaf and marble. He was pulled back to earth as Amy pushed open the doors and strode up to the front desk.

'Hi,' she said cheerfully, 'are Belia and Jarrett in?'

'I beg your pardon?' asked the snooty receptionist, 'I'm afraid I do not know your friends. Riffraff are not generally allowed in here.'

'Riffraff!' Amy exclaimed. Eric could see her temper shooting up to the limit.

'Amy!' The receptionist was saved earache by Belia, who appeared with Jonathon at that precise moment. Amy gave the receptionist a smug smirk before swivelling around and giving Jonathon a hug and then ruffling his hair.

'Hey!' she grinned happily.

'What are you doing here?' Jonathon asked, bewildered.

Amy's face fell. 'Guess,' she said flatly.

Jonathon looked blank for a few seconds and then a grin spread across his face. 'Which one did you choose?' he asked.

It was Amy's turn to be confused. 'You know?'

Jonathon laughed. 'Of course I know. Oliver wrote to me and told me as soon as he could. He would have phoned, but your Ms Foster still hasn't gotten a working phone.'

'I'm surprised he didn't drop by the Sandgem Pokémon centre and tell you when we left Professor Rowan's,' Eric commented, coming to join them.

'You must be Eric,' Jonathon said immediately, offering his hand to the older boy. This surprised Eric, but he shook hands anyway.

'I'm guessing Oliver went into detail.'

'So which one did you get?' Jonathon demanded as Eric and Belia introduced themselves to each other.

Amy smiled knowingly and tapped the side of her nose. 'I'll show you over lunch,' she said teasingly.

Belia had just finished her introduction when Jonathon shoved her in the back and started propelling her towards the lift at the far end of the entrance hall. 'Jonathon...?'

'Come on, Mum!' Jonathon was exclaiming, 'we have to hurry and make lunch so that Amy will show us her Pokémon.' Belia laughed at her Outsider son's enthusiasm. She was allowed to stop briefly to call the elevator and then they were off. Amy stuck her tongue out at the receptionist as they passed. Eric flicked her over the head when they were in the lift.

'You're almost as bad as Oliver,' he said playfully.

'Oliver's a lot worse,' Amy and Jonathon both answered instantly. Eric and Belia shared a glance over the top of the twosome's head and then burst into chuckles.

'They do have a point,' Belia said when they arrived. 'I've never met someone with so much energy as I saw in Oliver.'

'It's just a pity he uses that energy to tease Amy and doesn't put it to good use.'

'Now show me, now show me, now show me,' Jonathon was demanding when they caught up with them. Amy was patting Munchlax on the head, her back purposefully positioned to Jonathon.

'I don't smell food,' Amy sang.

'Just show him Amy,' Eric laughed.

'Fine,' Amy said, getting to her feet. She looked about her and then said mournfully, 'oh, I can't do it here. My Pokémon might mess up such a lovely room.'

'Amy,' Eric groaned exasperatedly as Jonathon stomped his feet, sulking.

'Why don't you go to the park then?' Belia offered, 'whilst I get lunch ready?'

'I would prefer to have lunch first,' Amy started, but Eric took hold of her arm and dragged her towards the door.

'Are you sure Jonathon's alright coming with us?' Eric asked as he reached the front door.

'Of course he is,' Belia replied from the direction of the kitchen, 'he'll take Munchlax with him and you two have Pokémon. You'll be fine.'

* * *

><p>As soon as Amy stepped foot in the park, Jonathon rounded on her. 'Show me; show me; show me!'<p>

'Okay!' Amy laughed, bringing her poké balls out from her bag, 'come on out everyone.' Her three Starters landed on the grass along with Starly and Shinx. Jonathon's mouth dropped open. Amy kindly lent across and shut it for him.

It opened again as he exclaimed, 'All three?'

'I couldn't make up my mind in the end,' Amy admitted, 'the week was supposed to define for me which Starter was for me, but instead, I got seriously confused between which one I wanted and ended up not wanting to give up any of them. And they wouldn't want it any other way, would you?' The last part was directed at her Pokémon. All three chorused their agreement and ran at Amy. Amy scooped them up into a tight hug. When she placed them back on the ground, she released them with the smile, 'playtime! Don't wonder too far, alright?'

Her Pokémon nodded in agreement and separated. Hoothoot, who had been perched on Eric's shoulder, took off after Starly. Amy bit her lip as she watched them run off to find other Pokémon to play with, murmuring, 'I did want to work with Shinx on Spark. And with Chimchar on Flame Wheel...'

'Give them a break, Amy,' Eric said firmly, 'you definitely need one. Now tell Jonathon about your mission.'

'You have a mission?' Jonathon said in amazement, tearing his eyes from Munchlax and Turtwig to stare at Amy. Amy nodded and explained the mission Eric had explained to Harry and Joey earlier that day. Jonathon whistled when it was over.

'That's some burden to have upon your shoulders,' he said, 'are you alright with it?'

'Don't have much choice now, do I?' Amy said grumpily, striding away to find a bench to sit on.

'Amy will do it,' Jonathon confided to Eric when he judged Amy was far enough away to not hear him, 'I saw as soon as she released her Pokémon that they trust her. More than that, they really enjoy being with her. That was the one thing that the anime keeps saying over and over again, being friends with your Pokémon is more important than the power of the Pokémon. That's what makes champions so strong, because they are friends with powerful Pokémon.'

'The anime again!' Eric groaned, 'I'm getting a bit fed up with hearing that word.'

'Sorry,' Jonathon muttered, 'but I'm an Outsider, that's where I get my information. That and the games, but I've decided not to trust them. If you depend on the games for the information, you start to believe that this is all a game and start to mistreat your Pokémon. That is what I believe most Outsiders really do. They forget that this is a different world and start to believe that everything is a game, including their Pokémon partners. They believe they don't have feelings when they do.'

'You're very intelligent for a six-year-old,' Eric commented as they sped up to catch up with Amy.

'I'm meant to be thirteen, that's why.'

'What about Amy?' Eric asked, 'why is she different?'

Jonathon grinned. 'Oliver told me that he used to believe that Amy was mad because (when she used to be obsessed with Pokémon) she used to pretend that her Pokémon were real and used to try and love everyone she caught. I think that is why Amy has adapted to this world easier than the real world.'

They caught up with Amy who had stopped suddenly in the middle of the path. She was listening intently. As they approached, she pressed a finger to her lips and gestured a little further down the path.

A girl was sitting against a tree, crying. She was using her block of brown hair to hide face, but her sobbing could easily be heard. Her haircut and clothes reminded Amy of a female school kid from the Diamond, Pearl and Platinum games, except that her dress had more frills to it and her hair was a mousier tone.

'Do you think we should ask what's wrong?' Amy whispered to Eric. Eric shrugged.

Jonathon took a couple of paces forwards and then asked, 'Winnie?'

The little girl, Winnie, glanced up. Her large grey eyes were filled with big tears. She sniffed loudly and wiped her nose on a tissue. 'Hello, Jonny,' she mumbled.

Amy raised her eyebrows at Jonathon, who flushed. 'Jonny?' she teased.

'That's what some of the children at school call me,' Jonathon muttered, reddening further, 'not that I like the nickname.'

Amy grinned and bent down the other side of Winnie. 'What's wrong?' she asked.

Winnie sniffed loudly again. 'I was going to play in the park with my Pokémon when these nasty boys came out of nowhere and made a grab at them. I tried to keep them away from... but... they chased my Pokémon away and now I can't find them!'

'What about your Mum and Dad?' Eric asked, 'Won't they help you look?'

Winnie's sobbing increased in volume as Jonathon shook his head. 'Winnie's parents work at the TV station, so are rarely around to look after her. She has a childminder for when she's not at school.'

'And today it's her day off so I was on my own with my big sister,' Winnie blubbered, 'but sissy is too busy to help. She's practicing for the contest. That's why I was here alone. But I wasn't alone because I had my Pokémon... I want them back!'

'It's okay,' Amy said, slightly flustered as Winnie grabbed her top and began weeping into her chest, 'we'll help look for your Pokémon.'

Winnie looked up at her with big tear rimmed eyes. 'You will?'

'Of course we will,' Amy said firmly, 'just point us in the right direction and we'll find your Pokémon.'

She was taken aback when Winnie threw her arms around the older girl's neck. 'Thank you,' Winnie began crying over Amy's shoulder. Amy stared up at the guys with an expression that clearly read "help me!"

'Alright, Winnie,' Eric said, helping Amy escape from the younger girl's grasp, 'can you show us where your Pokémon ran?'

'What are your Pokémon?' Amy added as Winnie led them in the direction of the second entrance to the park. Glancing back, Amy noticed her own Pokémon were starting to follow them out of curiosity.

'Winnie owns three Kricketot,' Jonathon explained, 'you'll know that they're hers because they are always wearing ribbons: green, orange or yellow.'

'That's a start,' Amy murmured as Winnie when to stand by the entrance to the park.

'I was here,' she said, standing in the middle of the gateway, 'one Kricky ran into the park, but the other Kricky ran into the city. I don't know where they are.'

Amy sensed that Winnie was about to start crying again. 'Don't worry,' she said, bending down beside the snivelling girl, 'Eric and I will go and search for the two Kricketot who are in the city. You stay here with Jonathon and search for the Kricketot who is in the park.' Winnie nodded, but the tears were still coming. Amy put a comforting hand of the young girl's shoulder and said reassuringly, 'don't worry, Winnie. We'll find them. now I need you to be big and brave and not cry because your Krick-ee needs you.'

Winnie nodded. 'Kricky needs me.' Then she surprised them all by moving sharply out of Amy's grip and grabbing hold of Jonathon's hand. 'Come on, Jonny,' she said firmly, 'we need to find Kricky!'

'Okay,' Jonathon cried out as Winnie dragged him away, 'can I find Munchlax first? Just in case...'

'He has a point,' Eric said as the two kids disappeared around a corner, 'we need to find our own Pokémon before we go looking for the Kricketot.'

'That shouldn't be too difficult,' Amy said with a smile, turning around to find her Pokémon lined up and waiting for her.

'How did you...?' Eric began as Hoothoot landed on his shoulder.

'They followed us,' Amy stated, 'beside, we did tell them not to go too far. Return,' she added, withdrawing her Pokémon except Starly. 'Starly, we're looking for two Kricketot. Can you see what you can find from the skies? They shouldn't be too far from here.'

'You go too, Hoothoot,' Eric said as Starly took off. Hoothoot nibbled his owner's ear affectionately before flapping after the Starling Pokémon.

'What do you think she means by "Krick-ee"?' Amy asked as they headed into the city.

'Maybe they are Kricketot nicknames?' Eric suggested.

'Possibly,' Amy said. They came to a fork. Amy and Eric exchanged a glance before heading down different paths.

Starly returned to Amy after she had travelled about halfway down her lane. It squawked in excitement and then flew down a right hand turn. 'Go, Starly,' Amy yelled in excitement as she chased after it.

Eric had to wait a little longer before Hoothoot returned to him. The Owl Pokémon landed on his shoulder and hooted softly. 'No luck?' Hoothoot hooted sadly. 'Don't worry. It can't have gone far.'

In the end, Eric resorted to asking people he met. Most of them shook their heads, but a couple said that they had seen Kricketot outside of the city. That made Eric pause thoughtfully. The Kricketot would attempt to get back to Winnie, therefore would look for things they recognised, buildings or places. Outside the city could possibly look like the park.

'It's worth a shot,' he muttered, 'go and check it out Hoothoot.'

'I hope Amy's having better luck than I am,' he added as he watched his Pokémon flap away.

* * *

><p>'What's going on?' Amy demanded as she rounded the corner after following Starly. Two boys immediately sprang upright. Between them sat a rather dishevelled Kricketot.<p>

'This Kricketot won't go in the poké ball,' one of the boys said, pointing at the terrified Pokémon.

Amy bent down to the Kricketot's level and said softly, 'Krick-ee?'

The Kricketot looked up at her. 'Krick-e-tot?' Amy noticed the orange ribbon that was lying on the floor under one of the boy's feet.

'I think this Kricketot already belongs to someone,' Amy said, reaching forwards and drawing it out from under the boy's trainer. The Kricketot tottered forwards with the ringing xylophone noise they were famous for. Amy reattached the ribbon to the ringing antennae and then pulled out her Pokédex.

_Kricketot, the Cricket Pokémon. It shakes its head back to front, causing its antennae to hit each other and sound like a xylophone. It chats with others using the sounds of its colliding antennae._

'You have a Pokédex,' one of the boys whispered in awe.

'That's right,' Amy said, standing upright with the Kricketot in her arms, 'now if you don't mind, I need to return this Kricketot to its owner.'

'But I wanted that Kricketot,' the first boy shouted.

'It belongs to somebody,' Amy told him calmly, 'you can't have it.'

'But I want it!'

'Go and catch a different one,' Amy said, her patience already wearing thin, 'there are plenty outside of the city.'

'But I want that one!'

'You can't have this one!'

'What's going on?' Amy looked up and groaned inwardly. The boy coming down the street towards them was someone she recognised. The question was would he remember her?

The boy stopped beside the boy on the right, who Amy realised must be related to him. Her theory was confirmed when the boy turned around and complained, 'that mean girl won't let me catch that Kricketot. Make her give it to me, bro.'

The boy looked up. Their eyes met and Amy knew that he remembered her. 'He can't have it,' she said simply, 'because it already belongs to someone.'

'Does it belong to you?' the trainer taunted, 'oh, no sorry, I remember, you don't have any Pokémon.'

Amy didn't rise to the bait. 'I'm going to return this Pokémon back to its owner.' She turned to go.

'You're not going anywhere,' the trainer shouted, pushing his way past the two younger boys. He glared at Amy. 'You punched me.'

'You weren't being very nice.'

'You punched me!'

'You're still not being very nice.'

The trainer smirked. 'You're just scared to face me, aren't you?' he jeered, 'you were scared then and you're scared now.'

Amy stopped. Starly slowly lowered and dropped onto her shoulder. Amy turned back to the trainer. She remembered him very clearly from the Trainer School. She remembered what he said. She was no coward.

'Fine,' she said, 'let's battle now, shall we?'

* * *

><p>'Hoothoot, what have you found?' Eric asked as the Owl Pokémon descended out of the sky. Hoothoot hooted happily. 'You've found something!' Hoothoot blinked in agreement. 'Let's go then!'<p>

Hoothoot led Eric close to the edge of Jubilife city. After a while, Eric could hear the familiar sound of a Kricketot's call. It was joined by another cry and Eric did not recognise. As soon as he got closer though, Eric could place it.

The Kricketot, a green ribbon tied around its antennae, was being butted by a Budew. The move Kricketot was using Eric named as Bide. The Budew was using absorb whilst edging closer and closer. Eric tried to imagine what the Budew would be after when the Budew's mouth closed around a loose end of the ribbon.

At the same moment, Kricketot released its Bide. The Budew flew backwards and landed heavily. It struggled to its feet and glared at the worn out Kricketot. Eric decided it was best to intervene before the Budew descended upon the Kricketot again.

'Go, Hoothoot!' Hoothoot swooped down Eric's arm and landed between the bug and grass Pokémon. Budew eyed it then launched itself for another attack. 'Hypnosis, Hoothoot,' Eric called out. The Budew glanced at Hoothoot, who was preparing the attack before turning away as Hoothoot attacked. 'Now, Peck,' Eric yelled, determined not to be disheartened by the fact that Hoothoot's attack had failed.

But Budew moved before Eric's attack could land again. This one's fast, Eric thought as Budew spun out of the way and launched its own absorb attack. Using its own initiative, Hoothoot dodged then glared at Eric for not concentrating.

'Sorry,' Eric apologised to it. He shook his head. That was his problem with battles; he lacked the concentration on his own Pokémon. 'Use peck!'

White light shrouded Hoothoot's beak and it dived at Budew. A direct hit, the Budew staggered back.

Eric had made up his mind. He was catching this Pokémon. It would shut Amy up at least. He fumbled in his pocket for a poké ball. 'Hoothoot, hypnosis,' he called out as he searched. Budew came at Hoothoot with Absorb and looked straight into the Owl Pokémon's eyes. It hit the ground, fast asleep, as Eric found the ball.

The bud Pokémon disappeared in a flash of red light. The poké ball rocked once, twice and then clicked.

Eric gaped at it. 'I did it,' he muttered, 'I did it! I actually caught a Pokémon!' He scooped Hoothoot up and laughed with relief. 'We have to show Amy,' he picked the poké ball up from the ground and the Kricketot who had been watching with little interest on the side. As he did, the Kricketot began to squirm. 'Calm down!' Eric exclaimed, 'calm! I'm just returning you to your trainer. Kricky calm down!'

The Kricketot stopped fidgeting and turned its beetle black eyes up at Eric. Eric smiled down warmly. 'Come on,' he said, 'let's return you to Winnie.'

* * *

><p>Eric met Jonathon and Winnie at the park gate. In Winnie's arms was a second Kricketot with a yellow ribbon round its antennae. 'Kricketree!' she called out as she spotted Eric and the Kricketot.<p>

Eric handed to her and then mouthed over the top of her head to Jonathon, 'Kricketree?'

'Remember Kricky?' Jonathon explained, 'that's the short name for her Kricketot: Kricky-one, Kricketwo and Krickethree.'

'Kricketree,' Winnie corrected angrily before returning her attention to her Pokémon. 'Look Kricky-one; the nice boy found Kricketree. Yay!'

'You're welcome,' Eric said weakly as Winnie jumped up and hugged him around the waist. Winnie beamed at him and then bent down to her Pokémon. 'Now what we have to do is wait, for Kricketwo to return, then we'll be all together again. Yay!' The two Kricketot chorused their delight.

Eric turned his back on the celebrating little girl and stared into the city. 'What is taking Amy so long?' he asked.

'She's probably gotten lost,' Jonathon said and the two boys chuckled.

'I'm going to go looking for her,' Eric said after fifteen minutes past and Amy still hadn't returned. But just as he said it, Winnie squealed and a Kricketot tottered out of the alleyway ahead of them, followed by a furious Amy.

'You look in a good mood,' Eric commented as Amy arrived, but was drowned out by the scream of 'Kricketwo! Kricketwo, you're alright!' Winnie threw herself at the tiny bug Pokémon and then gazed up at Amy with shining eyes. 'Thank you,' she whispered.

'You're welcome,' Amy said wearily.

Winnie's attention dropped to the Kricketot and then she looked up again, 'why is his ribbon muddy?'

'Two boys trod on it.'

Winnie clapped a hand over her mouth. 'They didn't get Kricky did they?'

'They were different boys but had the same intentions,' Amy said grumpily, 'I had to battle one of the idiot's older brother to get Krick-ee back.' She turned to Jonathon, 'you remember the trainer who came to your school the week I was there.'

'The one you punched in the face?' Jonathon added with a grin.

'Yeah, him. I just had that battle he wanted.'

'How'd it go?'

Amy smirked. 'He had a Burmy, Wurmple and Cascoon. I just used Starly, Chimchar and Piplup. It was easy! I told him he needed to get a more varied team and then walked off with the Kricketot. Most fun I've had in ages! Wish you could have seen the look on his face.'

'Kricky is safe now,' Winnie said, clambering to her feet, her Kricketot singing their famous xylophone notes, 'Thank you.'

'We'll walk you home,' Eric offered, 'just to make sure you make it safely.'

Winnie's eyes filled with tears and she hugged him tightly again. Amy began to snigger at his expression and lack of ability to breath. It was cut short when she received the same treatment. 'Thank you,' the little girl around her waist whispered into her jacket.

* * *

><p>They met Winnie's mother outsider her apartment. Apparently she had returned home for a lunchtime break to find her youngest daughter missing and was just about to set out in search of her. She thanked the three trainers profusely when she heard what had happened and promised that she was banning her older daughter from competing if that was how she was going to treat her younger sister. Amy dissuaded her from that path.<p>

'If it's her dream to become a co-ordinator, I think it a little unfair to ban her from the next contest. I think it better to threaten to do so, like my Mother threatened to do if I didn't take care of my little brother, but if it's her dream, don't stop her from competing. That will only hinder your relationship with her.'

Winnie's mother thanked the trainers again and departed with her daughter, who looked back to give Jonathon a shy wave.

'Someone's got a crush on you,' Amy sang as they made their way back towards Jonathon's living quarters.

'Shut up,' Jonathon muttered.

Somebody stepped out in front of them. 'Excuse me,' someone said hurriedly, 'trainers you are, aren't you?'

Amy and Jonathon's jaws dropped. 'No way,' Amy whispered.

'You're...' Jonathon began.

The man before them jumped in before he'd finished speaking. 'How did you know?' he snapped, 'How did you unmask me as a member of the International Police?'

'We're Outsiders,' Amy explained.

'Ah!' the man yelled before she could go further, 'I see. You recognized right away that I was someone extraordinary. Now that my cover has been blown, let me introduce myself. I am elite of the International Police. My name...'

'You're code name is Looker,' Jonathon said dryly as the man paused for breath. The man, Looker, nearly jumped out of his skin with surprise.

'Indeed!' he cried, 'It is what they all call me.' He looked between Amy and Jonathon and then Eric, who looked totally bewildered at what was happening. 'Quite admirable you are!' he said breathlessly.

'You are aware of what Outsiders are, aren't you?' Amy said slowly.

'Why, yes,' Looker exclaimed, the excitement in his voice building again, 'on the Outsiders programme, I was, when you first arrived. But your knowledgeable skills are outstanding. Remarkable!' He paused and then continued. 'Rumors I have heard. Perhaps you can help me.'

'Sure,' Amy and Jonathon said before Eric could ask more. He shut his mouth and rolled his eyes. Outsider talk, he thought, might as well sit tight and wait for it all to be over.

'Wonderful!' Looker shouted, bending closer to Amy and Jonathon who did the same out of excitement. 'I hear, in Sinnoh, in fact, there are criminals stealing the Pokémon of others. I have, therefore, been on the lookout for characters arousing my suspicion.'

'Stealing others Pokémon,' Amy said slowly. For some reason Eric could not gather, she'd gone very white. 'You mean Team Galactic?'

'Yes, yes!' Looker yelled in surprise, 'you hear of them?'

Amy let out a weak chuckle. 'I think you're mistaken,' she said nervously, 'Team Galactic isn't happening now. They _can't_ be happening now. You've got to come back in three years. Yes, when Dawn's ten...'

'No, no,' Looker interrupted, 'thieves and smugglers are stealing Pokémon now! Taking what belongs to others is wrong. I need to find them. I have a request. If you were to see me again, you may speak to me. You must. You must inform me of bad guys! You must inform me of any happenings!'

'But...' Amy spluttered.

'You must,' Looker cried out. He stepped back from Amy and Jonathon and glanced around the streets. 'There appears to be no one shady in this Jubilife City. I shall therefore take my investigation elsewhere. But, my friends, I suggest you remain vigilant for shady grown-ups!' He glanced left, he glanced right and then turned and hurried away.

'He's weird,' Eric said out loud.

Amy's face was still chalky white. 'Team Galactic,' she muttered and then began to moan, 'no, no! Team Galactic can't be happening now! They're not due to appear on the scene until Ash arrives in Sinnoh and that's not until Dawn turns 10! Why now? What's going on?'

* * *

><p>The Looker I am basing off the games, because it's been too long since I last saw a Pokémon episode with him in. I hope it was alright. Most of what he says is off what he says in the games, but that's kind of the point.<p>

Next time: Amy and Eric get captured by campers and must battle their way out if they are to reach Orebourgh city.


	14. Camper Challenge

Why does work take up so much time? I was hoping to get some writing done over the holidays, but all that happened was I flopped onto my bed worn out. :(

Thank you to those who keep with this. Thanks for your reviews and favouriting, that's what keeps me going.

On with the chapter.

* * *

><p>'Let me get this straight,' Eric said, 'Team Galactic are a bunch of criminals who steal people's Pokémon because they can't be bothered to go and catch their own and whose leader is plotting to capture Palkia and Dialga in order to create a new universe just for him.'<p>

'Yes,' Amy agreed.

'That Looker bloke we met in Jubilife was an international policeman trying to stop them.'

'Yes.'

'He's not from around here, is he?'

'No, that's why he sounded weird.'

'Yeah, like he was using a direct translator or something.'

'Probably was.'

'So?' Eric asked, 'why are you worrying? This Looker will find Team Galactic and stop them and it'll be fine.'

'No, it's not,' Amy murmured.

'How?'

Amy sighed and lent back against the tree. She watched Eric's newly caught Budew playing tag with her Pokémon. Currently the bud Pokémon was on and all the others were running away from the stubby legged Pokémon, who was slowly getting angry at the situation. Eric tugged on her sleeve, pulling her attention back their conversation.

'Hello? I want to know.'

'I thought I wasn't allowed to mention the anime though? It annoyed you.'

'Well, it does,' Eric said, shifting uncomfortably, 'but I'll let you off this time, okay. Just tell me what you and Jonathon were going on about.'

Amy nodded, 'Fine.' She turned to face her friend. 'Do you remember what I said to Looker when I first heard that he was after Team Galactic?'

'Sort of, you said that it shouldn't be happening right now.'

'Exactly,' Amy agreed, turning away from him again, 'Team Galactic, according to the anime, are meant to start their plans when Ash arrives in Sinnoh, which won't occur until Dawn turns 10. In other words, everything is happening three years too early.'

'But surely other Outsiders will notice if Team Galactic start appearing,' Eric pointed out, 'and they will act on it.'

'I'm hoping so,' Amy murmured, 'but that's what worries me. Team Galactic are acting outside of when they're meant to be. Why? What is making them act before Ash arrives?'

'What about the games?' Eric asked suddenly. Amy blinked at him in confusion. 'You said that the Pokémon world is based on games too. So what happens in the games, when does everything occur in them?'

'Not specified,' Amy told him, 'but still, not until Dawn is 10.'

'Right,' Eric stared up at the sky for a few minutes before grinning and clapping Amy on the back. 'Still,' he said cheerfully, 'there's no use worrying about it. I'm sure everything will sort itself out. Meanwhile, we still have a fair way to go until we reach Oreburgh city. So I suggest we keep going.'

Amy watched him get up and withdraw Budew before sighing and following him. She kept Chimchar out as she was going to work on Flame Wheel with him as they walked.

'It's very simple,' she told it as she hurried to keep pace with Eric, Chimchar balanced on her shoulder, 'you just use ember and forward roll at the same time. At least, that's kind of the basis of it. It will probably seem a little more complicated than that... well, let's try.'

Chimchar let out a squeal of agreement and scrambled down her body to the ground. When on the path, Chimchar puffed up its chest and let out an Ember before forward rolling into it. When it came to the end, it sat on the ground and looked up at Amy as if asking whether it had done it correctly.

Amy was holding back a giggle. 'No, no,' she said, 'you need to roll at the same time as firing.'

'Are you sure it's the best idea to do that whilst we walk?' Eric asked, turning back and spotting that Amy had fallen behind trying to correct Chimchar.

'Just you wait,' Amy told him, 'wait until Chimchar gets all fired up. He'll go steamrollering past you at such a rate that...'

'Yeah, okay,' Eric interrupted, not holding back the grin spreading across his face, 'fine. Let's keep going shall we?'

'Alright!' Amy yelled at his back, 'come on Chimchar! Let's show him.'

'Chim-charr!' Chimchar cried happily, jumping to its feet and trying again.

After a few attempts, Chimchar managed to create a small wheel of flame around its body but found it difficult to move in different directions other than a straight line. 'Don't worry about it Chimchar,' Amy said encouragingly, 'you'll get the hang of turning eventually.' Chimchar ran forwards and somersaulted, releasing orange-red flames from its mouth as it did so. When its entire body was covered with flames, it began to roll along the path towards the distant figure of Eric. 'Hey!' Amy yelled as her Pokémon disappeared out of sight like her friend, 'wait for me!'

Further along the path, Eric heard Amy's cry and turned to smile at her. He yelled and jumped aside as Chimchar sped past, Amy hot on its heels.

'See,' she called over her shoulder as she ran past Eric, 'told you so!'

'That's what I'm supposed to say,' Eric couldn't help shouting, running to catch up with her.

Amy let out a laugh, which turned into a scream at Chimchar to stop as someone stepped out onto the path in front of the fire Pokémon. They heard her yell and managed to leap aside as Chimchar cannoned past.

'Chimchar!' Amy scolded when she caught up with the fire starter, 'watch where you're going! You almost ran into someone. Apologise.' She turned to the person and the words slowly stopped.

The character Chimchar had almost run down looked a lot like a camper; everything, from the shorts to his hat, screamed camper at Amy. She had just got her act together and began apologising, when someone else emerged and she found her tongue slowly coming to a halt again.

The girl now emerging from the bushes behind the boy looked strikingly like a picnicker. She had even tied her dark hair into two ponytails either side of her head. They were now staring at Amy expectantly.

'Err...' Amy said, no words coming to mind at the moment. 'Um... sorry about her...'

The picnicker looked down at Amy's feet and squealed as Chimchar poked her head around Amy's ankle and cheered her apology.

'Oh! Look!' she said in a high voice and crouched down beside Amy's legs. Amy forced herself not to look down. 'Isn't it cute?'

'It is a she,' was the only thing Amy could think of saying. She had a horrible feeling that her cheeks were colouring, particularly when she spotted Eric's expression. She found pleasure in glaring at him until his smile dropped.

'So what are you doing out here?' Eric asked conversationally to the camper as the picnicker cooed over Chimchar, who was pleased to be getting all the attention.

The camper turned to stare blankly at him. Then a small smile curled his upper lip. The picnicker stood upright and they nodded at one another. The picnicker pulled a silver whistle out of her pocket and blew a tune out on it. There was a pause.

Just as Amy began to wonder what all that was about, another camper and picnicker emerged from the bushes, both with bright blonde hair. They took one look at Eric and Amy, nodded at the first two. They hurried up the path and stood back to back, dark hair with dark hair and blonde with blonde.

'We,' the first camper exclaimed as Eric joined Amy, 'are the Route Challengers! We are Curtis!'

'Gina!'

'Diana!'

'Roland!'

Amy watched the calls go along the line and then the dark haired picnicker, Gina, stepped forwards. 'We challenge trainers along this route to battles to see if they should progress to Oreburgh.'

'Cool,' Amy said casually.

'Um...' Eric said worriedly, leaning in to Amy so the camper group couldn't overhear, 'I'm not an expert on battles, can I sit this one out?'

'No,' Amy said shortly, but on an afterthought, 'double battle, yeah?'

They all glanced at Curtis, self-proclaimed leader of the group. He shrugged. 'I don't see a problem. We're going to beat you anyway.'

'I thought you were testing the trainers who came along this route,' Eric reminded him.

'Yeah...' Curtis admitted, rocking on his feet before Gina blurted out, 'Daddy said if we win a match then he will let us try the gym. We want to beat the gym!'

'Is that so?' Amy said, half amused, 'they think if you beat one trainer, you'll be ready to tackle the gym?'

It was Roland's turn to step up. 'No,' he admitted, 'but they said if we can get a winning streak, then they'll consider it. You're the first in the winning streak.'

'Okay,' Amy said, grinning from ear to ear, 'so what are the rules of this challenge?' The children shrugged. Amy sighed in exasperation.

'How about this,' Eric suggested, 'you four against the two of us. We battle until either side is out of Pokémon. There are no substitutes, except when a Pokémon is unable to continue. The winners walk the losing team back to Oreburgh. Sound good?'

'Will you buy us ice cream if we win?' Gina asked cheekily. Amy gaped but Eric grinned.

'Sure why not?'

'Eric,' Amy hissed.

'Chances of them beating us?' Eric said quietly, 'really?'

Amy grinned, glad to see whose side Eric was really on. 'Okay,' she said, selecting her poké ball. 'Let's go.'

Eric and Amy vs. Diana and Roland first.

'Let's go, Chimchar!'

'Budew, let's try this!'

Diana fumbled with her poké ball and tossed it into the air. 'Buneary,' she called, 'please come and help!' A Buneary appeared in a flash of red light and did a somersault before landing neatly on the ground. Amy raised an eyebrow. That looked like something a contest Pokémon might do.

'And you, Geodude,' Roland yelled, unfurling his hand in a style that reminded Amy of a bowler in cricket. The rock/ground Pokémon landed on the ground with a cry and Amy as she flicked open her Pokédex to record it.

_Geodude, the rock Pokémon. It is impossible to distinguish from rocks. It slams against others in contests of hardness. Many live on mountain trails and remain half buried while keeping an eye on climbers. Carelessly stepping on it will make it swing its fists angrily._

'Let's get this started then,' Amy cried out, sliding her Pokédex into her back pocket. 'Chimchar, use Flame Wheel on the Buneary.'

'Mud Sport, Geodude,' Roland ordered. Geodude complied, covering the field in a thick layer of mud. This confused Amy, until she realised what that meant.

'Be careful Chimchar!' she cried out, but too late. Chimchar was too keen to impress. It spun into a flaming ball and headed towards Buneary before considering the field state.

'Dodge Buneary,' Diana called out. Buneary crouched low and leapt up, over the oncoming Chimchar/flaming ball. Chimchar cried out in annoyance, tried to stop, found no friction on the mud to do so and so cannoned into a tree.

'Wow,' Amy said, stunned, 'okay. You're good at this.'

Roland and Diana hand-fived. 'However,' Eric said, 'you have kind of forgotten about me. Now, Budew, use Absorb on Geodude!'

Budew, who had been sneaking around the edge of the muddy field, leapt upon the unaware Geodude. Red beams attached themselves to the rocky exterior and began to drain Geodude's energy.

'Hurry Buneary,' Diana called out, 'use Pound on Budew so that it will let go.'

'And then use Tackle on it, Geodude,' Roland added.

'I think you've forgotten about me now,' Amy said with a smile, 'don't count me out for the count.'

'But you're Chimchar is over there,' Diana said, pointing to her right where Chimchar had hit the tree. Chimchar was still sitting at the bottom of it.

'She is now,' Amy grinned, 'but... Chimchar, use Flame Wheel. Get to Budew.' Chimchar complied, rolling into a flaming ball again and sped across the field, speeded up by the muddy floor. Buneary was coming down on Budew when Chimchar collided with it, gaining height by colliding Geodude. It knocked Buneary's pound wide, but then landed in place for Geodude to tackle it.

Chimchar went flying into Budew and all went down in a heap. The Absorb was broken.

'Quick Budew,' Eric called out, 'Absorb again!' as Roland called out, 'use Defence Curl Geodude.'

'Chimchar, keep Buneary away from Budew with Fury Swipes,' Amy ordered as Diana cried out, 'hurry Buneary and help Geodude.'

This time, the Chimchar/Budew combination proved more powerful as Geodude finally gave out a cry and collapsed. 'He's unable to battle,' Eric told the disappointed Roland, 'call him back and send out your other Pokémon.'

Roland nodded and began to comply when Gina yelled out, 'Roland, switch.' Just by glancing in her direction, the young camper knew what she meant. He stepped back as she stepped forwards, drawing out her poké ball.

'Hey is that allowed?' Amy asked Eric, who shrugged.

'I suppose. I said we couldn't switch Pokémon, but I didn't say they couldn't switch battlers. They are on the same team, I suppose.'

'Exactly,' Gina said, 'so step up to the challenge Silcoon.' The cocoon Pokémon landed on the ground in front of Eric's Budew. 'Silcoon is Bug-type,' Gina explained proudly, a type that grass is not very effective against.'

'Yeah, I know, we've faced one before,' Amy agreed, rolling her eyes, 'and my Chimchar is super-effective against it. Show her Chimchar!'

'What?' Gina screamed as Chimchar flipped towards Silcoon, a Flame Wheel starting as it fell, 'No!'

'Buneary, save Silcoon!' Diana ordered. Her Buneary leapt on top of Silcoon, preparing to take the hit for its companion.

'Sorry Diana,' Eric said sadly, 'that's a nice tactic, but it won't work like that. Budew, use Absorb on Buneary. Try and budge it from Silcoon.'

Budew was already a step ahead of him. Buneary faltered due to the effects of Absorb and then Chimchar hit it. The fiery ball hit the rabbit Pokémon and then rebounded. Chimchar landed a short distance away and turned back to Silcoon.

'Fine, use Ember,' Amy said, changing tactic quickly. When the flames died down, neither Silcoon nor Buneary were moving.

'I think they're both out,' Eric said sadly.

Diana sniffed and hurried to her Pokémon's side. 'Buneary, can you hear me?' she asked tentatively, holding the normal-type Pokémon close to her. Buneary opened an eye and cried out weakly. 'You were amazing,' Diana said with a smile, 'when we get home I'm giving you a poké treat and then we'll get the ribbons out.' Buneary agreed heartily.

Budew perked up at the mention of ribbons which reminded Eric of the first time he had met it. Budew likes ribbons, he noted. He caught Amy's eye and they exchanged a grin. There was a girl in tune with her Pokémon. No wonder she had been a good opponent.

Gina, however, snorted and returned her Silcoon, grumpy that it had been of no apparent use. 'Fine,' she said dismissively, 'I have another Pokémon. Come on out, Psyduck!' The yellow Pokémon landed on the field.

_Psyduck, the duck Pokémon. Overwhelmed by enigmatic abilities, it suffers a constant headache. It sometimes uses mysterious powers. It can't remember doing so, however, so it always tilts its head in puzzlement._

'I love Psyduck,' Amy muttered, 'they are so funny!'

'My Psyduck is not on the field for your amusement!' Gina shouted.

'Calm down!' Amy said, backing slightly. Gina snorted and scowled.

'Calm down, sis,' Curtis said, stepping up to replace Diana, who slipped back to join her brother. 'My turn, now, go Ralts.'

_Ralts, the feeling Pokémon. It uses the horns on its head to sense human emotions. If its horns capture the warm feelings of people or Pokémon, its body warms up slightly, so it is said to appear in front of cheerful people._

'This battle's getting interesting,' Amy said, putting her Pokédex away again. 'Chimchar, do you want to withdraw?' Chimchar shook its head. 'Well, if you're certain you want to continue, let's go, use Flame Wheel on Ralts.'

'Psyduck, use Water Sport to weaken Chimchar's power,' Gina cried out. Torrents of water rained down upon the battle field, soaking everything. The fire around Chimchar weakened, but Chimchar kept coming.

'Ralts use your Confusion to throw Chimchar away,' Curtis ordered and then added, 'into Budew.'

'Dodge it Budew,' Eric called out hurriedly as Chimchar was picked up by Ralts power and aimed at the grass-type Pokémon.

Gina grinned at her partner's idea. 'Psyduck, use your Confusion to help Ralts control Chimchar's Flame Wheel.' Psyduck obeyed and soon Budew was running backwards and forwards as Chimchar struggled to break free from the Confusion combo. The campers call cracked up, laughing.

Amy noticed Eric panicking. She could only see one way out of this, and she knew that someone wouldn't be happy with her afterwards. 'Chimchar, come back,' she said with a sigh, recalling Chimchar to her poké ball. She raised her head to glare at the campers, who had stopped laughing. 'I'm withdrawing my Pokémon from his competition,' she said, 'I don't like the way you're treating her.'

'You said we couldn't do that,' Curtis said accusingly, pointing at Eric.

'I said we can't substitute,' Eric pointed out, 'but Amy is withdrawing her Pokémon from the battle, meaning she cannot use it again. What are you sending out instead Amy?'

Amy grinned. 'Shinx,' she said simply, casting her poké ball out. The bright blue flash Pokémon landed beside Eric's Budew, opposite Gina's Psyduck. 'Okay Shinx, like we practiced: Charge.' Flashes of sparks appeared on Shinx's coat.

'What's the point in that?' Eric asked Amy, who was smiling smugly, 'Shinx doesn't know any electric moves.'

'Eric, don't tell them,' Amy complained as Gina and Curtis began to laugh.

'It doesn't know any electric moves,' Gina laughed.

'Well, I bet Psyduck doesn't know any water moves!'

'It does, watch, Psyduck, use Water Gun.'

'Oh.'

'Watch,' Gina said, 'Psyduck, use Water Gun!'

'Keep charging,' Amy said in a low voice to Shinx and then said to Eric, 'I need you to take the hit for me.'

'What? Why?' Eric asked as the Water Gun arched closer to Shinx.

'Just do it,' Amy hissed, 'I have a plan.'

'Fine,' Eric muttered, 'Budew, Absorb on Ralts and then take the Water Gun for Shinx.'

'Good idea about the Absorb,' Amy said, 'we can't have you using Confusion on what I've got planned.'

Ralts winced as the red beams hit it and Budew shuddered as the Water Gun soaked it, almost buckling under the pressure of the water. Still, the red absorbing lights kept it upright.

'What's this amazing plan, Amy?' Eric asked. Amy leaned forwards and whispered it in his ear. A frown appeared on Eric's face, but when she pulled away he shrugged and said, 'let's give it a go.' He turned to Budew. 'Okay, Budew, use Water Sport. Aim it at Psyduck if possible.'

'What's this about?' Gina demanded as Budew's light rainfall drenched the pitch again, 'I've already used that move.'

'This,' Amy said with a smile, 'Shinx, use Spark. Your target is Psyduck.'

'A bit of science for you,' Amy said as her flashing electric Pokémon enveloped in blue electricity and streaked across the pitch, 'water is a conductor of electricity. That is why Rain Dance increases electric moves too. So, we have a sodden pitch and a Pokémon using spark, an electric move. What do you think is going to happen?'

Gina panicked. She began to call out a command, but Shinx had already found its target. Psyduck soared up into the air and landed with a crash.

'And charge gives spark an extra boost,' Amy said happily, 'now onto my next target.'

'What?' Curtis said in shock as Shinx's spark crackled across the wet ground towards Ralts. Blue bolts ran up and down Ralts' body, paralysing it. Just like Gina, Curtis began a command, but Budew got there before him with a second onslaught of absorb. Then Shinx collided with a Tackle.

The two Pokémon hit the ground simultaneously and did not get back up. Eric and Amy celebrated whilst the two trainers withdrew their exhausted Pokémon. Curtis looked saddened, but his face quickly brightened. 'Don't believe this is the end,' he said, 'we've got two more Pokémon.'

Roland joined him, looking slightly worried. 'Curtis, are you sure your Pokémon is up to the challenge?' he asked.

'Sure he is,' Curtis said dismissively as Roland sent out another Geodude. 'Go, Magikarp!'

There was a pause into which only Amy's Pokédex spoke and then she burst out laughing. Eric began chuckling too. 'You seriously believe that _that_ will do you any good?' Amy asked in between gasps for air.

'You never know,' Curtis said defensively, 'it might evolve...'

'Let's put a stop to that idea,' Amy said with a grin, 'spark Shinx!'

'Stop him, Geodude,' Roland ordered.

'Stop Geodude, Budew,' Eric countered.

* * *

><p>The battle was over. The campers withdrew their Pokémon. Geodude hadn't lasted much longer than Magikarp had. Like Eric offered, he and Amy walked them home.<p>

They kept pestering the older trainers with questions. How long had they been trainers? How did they get so good?

'How did you know that the wet ground would conduct like that?' Gina asked Amy as they climbed a particularly steep hill, 'it was amazing.'

'Honestly,' Amy admitted, 'I had no clue it would do that. I just wanted an impressive electric display so I could nip in with a Tackle. I thought it might not work because of the Mud Sport Roland used earlier, but Water Sport seemed to cover over that.'

'I almost thought it wouldn't work,' she added to Eric as Gina got into a heated argument with her brother about which of her Pokémon were better, 'because in the games you can't use a move like Water Sport more than once.'

Eric shrugged, 'maybe because the ground is already covered?'

'Probably,' panted Amy.

Slowly, Oreburgh city emerged over the top of the hill. The campers ran ahead in excitement, calling out to their parents they could see on the outskirts of the city, telling them about the tough trainers they had met that day. As Eric was dragged down the hill to be introduced, Amy, who had fallen behind climbing up it, paused to glance up at the shadowy image of Mt Coronet, closer now that she had seen it before.

Amy frowned. There was something on the peak. Something pale that blended in with the clouds surrounding it.

'Amy,' Eric's voice broke Amy's concentration. She glanced down to him as he waved at her to join them and then back at the peak of Mt Coronet. The strange something had gone.

What that where Spear Pillar was situated? Amy wondered as she descended the hill to join Eric and the campers, or was it like in the anime, deep within the mountain? Either way, that didn't explain what she thought she had just seen.

She began to descend when a second figure caught her attention. A dark figure dressed in dark clothes, a stranger, but still strangely familiar. Amy frowned as the figure disappeared into the heart of Oreburgh. Something was going on, she thought, and she didn't doubt that she was going to find out, one way or another.

* * *

><p>Next time: Amy challenges her first gym, but nothing ever goes simply. And is that Team Galactic I see emerging from the shadows? Stay tuned!<p> 


	15. Mucky Down a Mine

I'm ashamed, I really am. I've not updated in so long! Sorry. I know making excuses is not advisable, so I'm just going to let you get on with the chapter.

* * *

><p><em>She was standing by a lake. It was very cold, despite the sunshine. Amy felt herself shiver. She stared out across the lake towards the centre. There was something there.<em>

_Then the water began draining away from the edge and Amy found herself staring at a massive hole in the ground. Black oily liquid came spewing out of one of the holes in the rocky wall and up the side. Amy stared at it. The liquid, defying all laws of gravity, appeared to be moving upwards of its own accord. Then it was whisked away by a masked stranger with a giant vacuum cleaner._

_The masked man turned to her and she found herself staring at a boy who seemed very familiar. Then he directed what was now a hose at her, squirting her with the black liquid, until it covered her from head to foot. With that, Amy blacked out._

* * *

><p>Amy stood in front of the mirror, studying her reflection. She was trying to psych herself up for her first gym battle. But the only feeling she could muster was nervousness.<p>

This was a real battle, she kept thinking. It wasn't like in the games when you could save before hand and, if you lost, you could turn off and try again later, and no-one would know otherwise. If you lost here, you lost for real. Amy didn't know if she could manage losing properly.

Her mind wondered to the dream last night. She remembered vague bits like a waterfall of black stuff running backwards up a cliff face, but it was all very blurred. There it was again: the foreboding sense of losing.

There was a knock at her door. Amy opened up to find Eric waiting for her, Hoothoot on his shoulder. 'You ready?' he asked.

Amy took a deep breath and nodded. 'Let's go.'

They exited and hurried down the stairs to the main area of the Pokémon Centre, where they had spent the night. After Amy forced herself to eat breakfast, they asked the Nurse Joy behind the counter for directions to the gym. Amy let Eric do the talking. She could feel her nerves getting the better of her.

This Eric seemed to notice as they walked down Oreburgh streets to reach their destination. 'Nervous?' Amy gritted her teeth together and nodded. Eric grinned. 'Don't worry. It's natural to be.'

'I didn't realise I'd get it this bad. I mean, it's just a gym battle. Normally, I wouldn't be so scared.'

'Normally, you wouldn't be physically doing it. It's some little picture block of pixels and the attacks are just animations.'

'Helpful.'

'Okay! No need for sarcasm.'

'Sorry, nerves.'

'I suppose that's not going to help either.' Eric stopped and Amy slowly came to a halt next to him. There was a queue of trainers outside the gym, all badgering the poor fellow left in charge as to where the gym leader had gone.

'Oh...' Amy muttered.

Finally the man at the gym doors threw up his hands and shouted to the collective audience, 'the gym leader has gone to investigate problems at the mine. I have no idea when he will be back. If you wish to battle him that much, I suggest you head towards the quarry and find him yourselves.' With that, he slid back into the building behind him and shut the doors firmly in their faces.

'That's helpful,' Eric muttered. He turned to his partner, to find her striding firmly away from him. 'Amy?'

Amy reached out a hand and grabbed the nearest passerby. 'I'm sorry,' she said, 'but could you direct me towards the mine please?'

'Certainly,' the citizen replied after getting over the sudden shock of Amy's definite tone, 'keep going down this road and right after you pass the museum. You can't miss it.'

'Thank you,' Amy headed off in the direction the man had just directed her.

Eric hurried after her. 'What's with the sudden change of attitude?' he asked.

'I just hyped myself up for a gym battle,' Amy grumbled, 'I now just want to get it over and done with. I can't do that with the gym leader not in sight. And I want to be the first to fight. I don't want to wait any more than I have to.'

'I see,' Eric murmured, 'didn't realise you were that impatient.'

* * *

><p>The citizen was right. It was very difficult to miss the giant quarry situated on the outskirts of the city, even Amy, who had previously shown to Eric that she had no skill in navigation, managed to spot it quickly. They stood on the edge of the large hole and stared down at the masses of miners who were milling around. There were many entrances into the rocky walls. The nearer ones had been boarded up, presumably because the coal found there had run dry and so the miners had moved deeper into the earth's crust.<p>

Amy frowned. This looked very familiar. She just couldn't put her finger on it. She decided to descend and find out what was going on.

'Excuse me,' she called out to the nearest miner as she skidded down the slippery slope of loose rocks, trying hard to keep upright. The man turned to face her. Amy tried to ignore how grubby he was. 'Hi,' she said when she finally got on the same level as him, without falling over, 'I was wondering if you could tell me what's happening. Because I want to battle the gym leader, but I was told that he wasn't there because there was something going on here.'

The man looked over her head and asked, 'is that what all of you are here for?'

'Huh?' Amy turned around. 'Oh...' Behind Eric had gathered a majority of the trainers who had been outside the gym. They were staring at the dirt covered ground with a mixture of anticipation for something interesting, or boredom; most seemed to be searching for the gym leader. 'Yeah...'

'Well,' the miner said, his attention returning to the rookie in front of him, 'Roark is currently down the mine shaft at the bottom,' he pointed towards one of the lower entrances into the rocky wall, around which most of the miners were milling about, 'as that is where the strangers were spotted. He could probably use a few more hands as when they first arrived there seemed to be loads of them.'

'Loads of whom?' Amy asked, a knot seemingly forming in her stomach.

'Dunno,' the miner shrugged, 'weird guys dressed like spacemen...'

'With green hair,' Amy finished.

'Yeah, how did you know?'

'Team Galactic,' Amy muttered, staring wide-eyed down at the mine entrance, 'here?'

'Team Galactic?' Amy glanced up. One of the trainers from the gym entrance had come down to join them and was shaking his head, 'nah, can't be them. They don't appear for another three years.'

'It's happening now,' Amy interrupted.

'Oh and how would you know,' the guy asked smugly, folding his arms and smirking at her.

'Because I met Looker,' Amy snapped, 'you can ask my friend, he has no idea about the games and such because he's not an Outsider. He doesn't understand it much, but he can confirm what has been going on.' She looked the guy up and down. 'I know you,' she said at length, 'you were in Professor Rowan's lab the day I first arrived here.'

The guy stared at her for a while and then grinned. 'Hey! You're the girl who insisted she was sixteen though you looked eight. You haven't grown much.'

'I'm ten and a half now,' Amy snapped.

'And I suppose this is your first badge,' the guy said smugly.

'What if it is?'

'This will be my third,' the Outsider said arrogantly, pulling his badge case out of his pocket and waving it in Amy's face.

'Don't worry, I'll catch up quick,' Amy said, barely glancing at the two shining badges already, 'I just had to wait a while to get my starter Pokémon.'

'Um, excuse me...' one of the trainers still at the edge of the quarry called out, 'could someone explain what's going on? We want to battle the gym leader.'

The Outsider turned back to the crowd of trainers. 'The gym leader is currently preoccupied trying to evict some intruders from one of the lower mines. I'm sure this process could be greatly speeded up if we went to help him.'

'I'm not sure...' Amy began, but was cut across by the cheers of the trainers and the stampede of feet as they charged down the slope towards the tunnel the Outsider was pointing at. Amy held up her hands to protect herself from the crush of bodies. Eric found her and dragged her to one side as the trainers continued down the hill towards the stunned miners and the mine entrance.

'Come on,' Eric muttered, tugging Amy back up the hill, 'we don't need to get involved with that.'

Amy pulled her hand out of his. 'No, I'm going to help. If it really is Team Galactic, I want to find out what on Earth they're doing here!'

'I thought you didn't want to get involved with that sort of thing,' Eric queried.

'The gym leader's also down there,' Amy said with a shrug, 'maybe if I impress him, I could battle him first.'

'Huh,' Eric muttered. He stared at the crowd of trainers currently arguing with the miners about going down the mine, 'well, fine. But I don't fancy getting my hands dirty. I'm going to train somewhere else. See you later at the gym.'

'Fine,' Amy said and the two headed off in separate directions. Amy descended so that she was level with the arguing groups.

'Not all of you can go charging down there,' one miner was shouting, 'the tremors might cause the roof to collapse.'

'You should build it better then,' one trainer shouted back rudely. The miner looked ready to punch him in the face after that remark when another cut in, 'well I'd love to see you build one better.'

Amy sighed and examined the roughly cut entrance. After a moment, she noticed something intriguing. 'Sorry to bother you,' she asked a miner on the outskirts of the crowd. He turned and glared at her. Amy put on her sweetest expression (at least, she hoped that's what it looked like) and pointed to a rope system beside the mine. 'What's that?'

The miner followed her finger and huffed. 'That's the pulley system we use to get coal up to the top of the quarry. It's difficult carting wheelbarrows full up that shingly pathway, so we use this system and have Machoke pull it up for us: Much quicker and more efficient.'

Amy glanced about at the other few mine entrances. 'Why is this the only entrance with a pulley system?' she asked.

The miner shrugged. 'This is the only mine with an active coal vein. Some of the other mines have yet to dig deep enough to find coal, others find the odd bits, but this had a long vein which we're currently working on mining. In this case, the pulley system is needed more than on the other mines. We'll set one up when we believe we've found a vein long enough to make using it proficient.'

Amy's head snapped around to face him. Then she stared up to the top of the pulley system. This was the only mine producing coal. That made sense as to why they asked the gym leader to come and help them out then. This was the mine which produced most of the coal so far. It was important to Oreburgh's economy. The last thing they needed was a group of thieves to arrive on the scene and snatch up huge quantities of their valuable trading material.

What had been in the dream last night? a hole with holes in, and black stuff seeping out of one of the holes and up the side of the rocky cliffs to where someone was waiting. That was it. The black was the coal and whoever was down there (Amy was certain it was Team Galactic) was going to bring the coal up and use the pulley system to get it out of the quarry to a waiting vehicle.

Amy decided to intervene with her idea as she could see some of the trainers and miner were turning this into a battlefield. 'Excuse me,' she shouted over the noise. The people heard turned to look at her. 'Hi,' Amy said hurriedly when she thought she had enough attention, 'look, I think I've worked out why whoever it is wants this mine.'

'Coal, duh!' one of the miners cried out and everyone snorted with laughter.

Amy waited for the chuckling to die down with a patient look on her face. 'True,' she said, 'but it is the only mine with a working pulley system. This means that they can load stolen coal, move it up without anyone getting in their way and have it out of town before you can get out of this quarry.'

'Not if the Machoke aren't there to help them,' one miner suggested.

'I think they will have thought of that and brought Machoke of their own,' Amy said pointedly.

'How do you know they're that smart?' one trainer asked.

'I'm going on the assumption they knew they would be against the gym leader,' Amy said, 'they would have prepared for it. If they prepared, they would have prepared for miners too. Therefore, they would have an idea on how to get the coal, the object they are after, away from here, whilst they keep you busy. That's what the pulley is for.'

'So?'

'So, we need a few fighters to go down into the mine and check on the gym leader, who is the strongest battler in town so I don't think he needs that much help, but we also need strong fighters out here to deal with the getaway guys. They will probably be arriving in a van directly above this mine so they can get the coal from the pulley system. They may be stronger than the guys in the mine because they will have to protect the coal from here to wherever they need it.'

There was a pause. Then one of the trainers yelled, 'how the hell did you come up with that?'

Amy opened her mouth, closed it again, and then shrugged. Telling them about her dream didn't seem like the smartest idea.

The Outsider Amy had recognised elbowed his way to the front of the trainer group to stare at her. Amy raised her chin and returned it levelly. Finally, the Outsider trainer's face broke into a large grin and he turned to the rest of the trainers. 'I think she might be smarter than she looks,' a couple of trainers chuckled, 'okay, so I'll stay here and lead the team dealing with the runaway group. This girl... name?'

'Oh... uh... Amy.'

'Amy will lead a group of miners and a few trainers into the mine to find Roark. Objections?' There were a few mutterings, but no-one voiced their opinions to the general crowd. 'Great. Right, volunteers to go down the mine. Several hands shot into the air. The Outsider selected a couple who wormed their way out to join Amy.

'I didn't catch your name,' Amy said as miners handed out hard hats to the groups entering the mine.

The Outsider grinned at her. 'It's Emmet and don't you forget it. I'm going to become the first Outsider Champion!'

'You and everybody else,' Amy murmured, accepting a hat and following the rest of her group into the dark, dirty mine. Emmet's laughter followed them down, echoing off the rocky walls, until finally the darkness swallowed it.

Amy went the whole way with one of the trainers clutching at her arm. 'Nice time to discover your claustrophobic,' Amy muttered to him as they ducked a swarm of Zubat flying in the opposite direction.

'Di-did-didn't occur to me,' the trainer muttered, clutching tighter at Amy's arm so the female trainer yelped.

'Great,' Amy growled, 'why don't you go back up if you're so scared?'

'C-can-can't,' the trainer whimpered, 'the miners are taking us down.'

In the end, Amy asked one of the miners leading the way to take the poor kid back up to the surface. Now her arm was free to move again, and the pins-and-needles feeling of blood rushing back into it had faded, Amy could keep up with the rest of the group more easily. Finally they emerged into a chasm, in which a fight was already going on.

In the centre of it all, was Oreburgh's gym leader, Roark. In a circle with him, were four or five other miners who had brought down some of their Pokémon to help and who were now facing off against the dozen or so intruders who had already stormed the chamber. Amy stopped short when she spotted them.

Team Galactic grunts lined the walls of the chamber. Some were facing the few miners who had opted to fight in battle; most were filling sacks with the precious coal that the miners had spent so long cutting from the rock face. They turned to face the newcomers with a mixture of anger and surprise.

'Do you have Pokémon?' one of the trainers asked the miners who had accompanied them. Only one of them nodded. The trainer sighed and turned to Amy. 'I think that all miners without Pokémon should leave the mine to be replaced by trainers from up top, what do you say?'

'I think that's a good idea,' Amy agreed, scanning the lines of Galactic grunts that were now turning their fullest attention to the new trainers. Gratefully, the miners left.

Amy and the other four trainers stepped up to face the grunts. 'So,' Amy murmured, 'Team Galactic really are active.'

'That's right,' sneered one of the grunts, 'and we're going to – ow!' He rubbed his head as the guy next to him punched him.

'Don't give away plans, stupid,' the grunt snapped.

'Well, there's not much you can give away that I wouldn't know about,' Amy said blankly, 'except maybe, why are you three years too early? Who's new high on the board?'

'There's that weird guy with the grey hair,' one grunt mused.

'You mean Charon?' Amy asked.

'Yeah, you know him?'

Amy sighed. There was no point even trying to get reasonable information out these idiots. She'd have to try their commander. That was a point. 'Who's leading this mission?' she asked. 'Who's your commander?'

'Who are you?' a grunt replied, 'a member of the international police force? What's with all the questions?'

'Yeah, what's with all the questions?' a trainer to the left of Amy asked, 'I came here to battle not to interrogate. If you really are a police officer then go back up top.'

'Do I look like an officer to you?' Amy grumbled, but held her ground. 'Fine, let's fight!' She stuck her hand into her pocket and drew out a poké ball. 'Go, Piplup!'

* * *

><p>The Galactic grunts were now backed up against a wall, very annoyed. Everything had been going so well. Whilst the gym leader had been busy defending himself and the miners against their weaker attacks, the rest of them had been busy stuffing sacks full of coal. Their goal was at least ten bags. That would please their boss.<p>

Instead, their plan had been disrupted by an annoying group of trainers, barely any more than there were already, and suddenly, they were losing.

They had tried the haze and run tactic, but a Shinx had leapt through their Zubat/Golbat defences and lit up the cave again with a blinding flash. It had then proceeded to attack them with a shocking Spark attack. Its trainer, a girl with sharp hazel eyes and sandy brown hair, who had asked them so many questions at the start, seemed to be leading the new trainers.

The grunts were not impressed. Their commander had made the challenge seem so simple. Now it had gone horribly wrong and they couldn't find a way out. Then one had a bright idea. Calling out his Machoke, he ordered it to smash down the beams keeping up the mine ceiling. All the other grunts seemed to think this a great idea and ordered several of their Pokémon to help.

Needless to say, Amy and the other trainers were not impressed. 'They can't win so are smashing down the walls?' one queried as the cave shook from the blows the Machoke dealt to the rock. A chunk of ceiling fell directly behind them, making them jump.

'We need a psychic Pokémon,' Amy shouted, 'take down that Machoke! Shinx, Charge! Then try and knock out as many Pokémon as possible, starting with that Machoke!'

'I got this,' a trainer to her right called out, retrieving a poké ball from his bag, 'go, Bronzor! Take out that Machoke with Confusion!'

'Nice going,' congratulated a new voice. Amy's head turned slightly and she nearly froze up. Not two paces from them, Roark was replacing his glasses on his nose and grinning at them. He looks so young, Amy couldn't help thinking. How old must he be? 17? Amy guessed.

She glanced upwards, her eyes widening in amazement. Roark's Onix was high above them, his head pressed against the roof, his body hardening more and more. Someone else shouted out an agreement and another miner's Onix joined Roark's.

The Galactic grunts had noticed them and began ordering Supersonic attacks from their Zubat and single Golbat, trying to confuse the Onix into causing damage. Amy's response was instantaneous. 'Shinx, Spark! Take out those bat Pokémon!' Her call was quickly taken up by several of the other trainers.

It took a long time for Team Galactic to admit defeat. Only when their last Pokémon, a rather obstinate Stunky, crashed to the floor at Amy's Shinx's feet, did they finally concede that they had been beaten. The miner made them march single file up the mine shaft into the open air, where a surprised Officer Jenny was preparing to descend.

'I don't know why I wasn't called for before now,' she snapped at Roark as the Galactic grunts were led away, 'why did you and a bunch of rookies think it okay to take the law into their own hands?'

'Sorry,' Roark said hurriedly, 'I was just trying to think what was best for the mine. I must admit, I wanted to see what was wrong myself, before I contacted the police.'

'That's an inexperienced gym leader for you,' Officer Jenny continued, 'always think that just because they've suddenly been promoted they don't need the help of normal trainers.'

'I don't think that,' Roark said quietly, but Jenny carried on, 'well, it's a good job we did arrive when we did because otherwise what would you have done with this amount of people. And we managed to apprehend the men in the vehicle.'

'Did you get their commander?' the two adults turned, surprised. Amy backed away, blushing. Behind her, a few of the trainers were hanging around. Most had gone back to the gym to wait.

'I beg your pardon?' Jenny said.

'I said did you get their commander?' Amy repeated.

'I don't know. Why is that important?' inquired the police officer.

'Well...' Amy started. She sighed. Be honest, she decided. 'I'm an Outsider and I know that the guys you just arrested were part of an organisation called Team Galactic. However, I also know that they shouldn't be active now. Team Galactic aren't suppose to put plans into action until at least three years from now. That's why I asked if you had captured their commander. He, or she as two of their commanders are female, would be better at shedding light on the situation than these grunts would.'

'Oh,' was all Jenny could think of saying, 'oh... no I don't think we caught anyone as high a ranked as commander... but we'll keep an eye out. Thanks for letting us know.'

'You're welcome,' Amy said with a sigh. She turned to go and almost ran straight into Emmet.

'You were right,' he muttered after Amy had gotten over the initial shock of almost walking into his chest, 'you were right down to the very last detail. It was Team Galactic. They were trying to steal coal via the pulley system. We caught a couple of them setting up their own Machoke in preparation for the stolen goods. You were even right about the getaway van. I'm ashamed to say I doubted you.' He held out his hand. 'Cool?'

'Alright,' Amy said with a smile and they shook. Then Emmet dragged her closer.

'We need to battle some time.'

'I need to earn a badge first,' Amy said weakly, 'there's no way a rookie like me can match up to you with two badges already.'

'You owned the Shinx, didn't you?' Roark interrupted, cheerily, 'I think you might be able to manage it. You do appear to be a good battler.'

Amy blinked in surprise. 'Really?'

'Certainly,' Roark said, then flashed her a cheeky grin, 'I'm on my way back to the gym now in fact. Is there something you want to say to me?'

Amy grinned. 'I'm here to challenge you to a Pokémon battle.'

'Challenge accepted,' Roark cried out, 'come on, I want to see if your skill is for real, or whether what I saw down the mine was all imagined.'

'I won't disappoint,' Amy promised.

* * *

><p>Next time: Amy's first gym battle. Will she emerge victorious first time round?<p> 


	16. Rocky Roark Gym Win

This has been hanging around in my documents for some time before I actually realised I needed to upload it. So sorry about the wait guys :S

This is my first attempt at writing a gym battle. I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>Roark led the way towards his gym. Amy followed at a slower pace, deciding in her head the three Pokémon to use for the battle. Turtwig and Piplup were the obvious choices, but the third one? Shinx? Chimchar?<p>

'Amy!' Amy stopped and turned to see Eric hurrying towards. 'Hey, what happened?'

'Oh, you know,' Amy said, feeling slightly lightheaded, 'Team Galactic trying to steal coal, we stopped them, and I'm now going to battle the gym leader. This is turning into one hectic day. What happened to you?'

Eric shrugged. 'Met this kid who wanted a Machop. Said he'd trade his Abra for one. So I caught a Machop for him and told him he could keep it and the Abra.'

'After all the effort you went through to get it, surely you should have the Abra at least,' Amy said to him as they approached the gym doors. The crowd of trainers that Amy had expected to be there weren't.

Eric shrugged. 'Nah, the kid had a cute older sister who gave me one of the new Ponyta her Rapidash gave birth to a few weeks ago for helping out her brother. I thought that might suit my battle style better than an Abra would.'

'You have a battle style?' Amy queried, stopping at the gym doors, 'I thought your battle style not battling, in which case Abra's teleport would be a lot more useful.'

'Hilarious,' Eric said sarcastically, 'for your information, I do have a battle style. You have yet to spot it.'

'Very well,' Amy said, grinning as she pushed open the doors.

To Amy's surprise, the gym beyond was pitch black. Amy could hear whispering and muttering from around the walls, but couldn't make out what was going on.

'Where's everyone gone?' Amy asked aloud. She had expected to be greeted at the doors by the trainers who had been waiting around that day for the gym leader. She was not expecting a blacked out gym.

A single spot light blinded Amy for a moment, then another lit up Roark the other end of the stadium. The other lights flickered on and Amy's already slack jaw dropped. The stands were filled with trainers who had wanted to battle Roark one side and miners the other. Amy found her head spinning. She thought it might be bad enough fighting with Eric watching. But all these people...

Eric patted her on the back. 'You can do it,' he said encouragingly.

Amy smiled weakly. She was having doubts now. She turned back to her friend and murmured, 'what will they do when they discover I've got the three starter Pokémon. There are definitely some Outsiders in the crowd.'

'We'll see,' Eric whispered, 'but you better start the challenge now. There's no backing out now.'

Amy nodded and proceeded to the edge of the gym's battle field. As she expected, it was a rock field. Amy's eyes scanned the crowd of trainers whilst the rules were announced, only half listening to them. Though she was searching for Emmet in the crowd, her eyes met someone else she knew. It took Amy a while before she recognised him. It was the dark haired boy from Jubilife, the one who had led her when she got lost. Amy blinked in surprised. What was he doing here?

However, when Amy looked away to agree to the conditions, the boy disappeared when she glanced back. Who was he? Amy wondered as she drew out her three chosen Pokémon. Oh well, no point wondering about it now. She had other things to focus on. Maybe she could see him afterwards.

'Go, Onix,' Roark cried, releasing his Pokémon onto the field. Amy blinked in surprise. She had expected Geodude first. Oh well. Here it goes.

'I choose Piplup!' Amy exclaimed. In a burst of red light, the penguin Pokémon appeared, tweeting in excitement.

There was a murmur from the crowd before someone shouted, 'I thought Outsiders didn't get starter Pokémon from the Professor.'

'We don't,' responded a voice Amy recognised as Emmet's, 'Amy must have gotten lucky.'

'Very lucky,' Amy muttered under her breath, 'okay, Piplup. Ready to show off our new moves?'

'Onix, start things with Screech, followed by Slam,' Roark ordered.

'Dodge it, Piplup,' Amy responded. Both Pokémon did as their trainers ordered. 'Now Bubblebeam!'

'Quickly, Onix,' Roark cried, 'Harden.'

Amy had previously seen the effects of Onix's Harden, but was still impressed by how hard the Rock Snake Pokémon became. Piplup's Bubblebeam collided with its body, resulting in a super effective hit, but providing very little in terms of advantage. So somehow, Amy thought desperately as the giant Rock Snake turned its head to stare down at the tiny Penguin water Pokémon, I've got to find a way of boosting Piplup's Bubblebeam attack. Or I could switch, but I don't want to withdraw Piplup so soon.

'Onix, Slam,' Roark called out, seeing Amy hesitate.

'Dodge,' Amy cried in return and Piplup leapt aside as Onix's body collided with the ground. 'Now, use Bubblebeam again!'

Roark just smiled at the second super effective hit still greatly weakened by harden hit Onix directly. 'Sounds like you're getting desperate already,' he told Amy, 'a good Pokémon trainer would not get flustered when under pressure.'

Amy frowned. 'I'm not flustered,' she insisted, trying to keep her voice calm, 'I'm just trying to work out how to direct Piplup without confusing it.'

'Oh?' Roark asked.

'Yeah,' Amy said with a smile. Well, she thought, let's find out whether this actually works or if I'm just losing my grip. 'Piplup, use Bubble! Spread them out like I taught you during our first week.'

Roark's eyebrows rose as Piplup's bubbles began to fill the arena. He realised a little too late that if he didn't tell Onix to move, he would be trapped in the centre of the bubbly mass. Now that Onix was finding it difficult to move without battering a bubble, Amy called Piplup over to the side to whisper what she wanted her Pokémon to do. Roark took the only other option to him.

'Harden, Onix,' he called. At least then, he thought, whatever she's planning will have little effect.

Amy smiled; it was now or never. 'Let's go Piplup,' she said. Piplup raced forwards and positioned itself beneath its sinking level of bubbles. 'Bubblebeam!' Piplup took a deep breath in and began firing the multitude of bubbles at the giant rock snake Pokémon. The sinking bubbles from the earlier bubble attack got swept along with the Bubblebeam attack and splattered Onix from more than one side. Onix faltered.

Seeing this, Amy yelled, 'okay, Piplup, Pound up!'

'Pound up?' everyone murmured in confusion, but the tiny penguin Pokémon understood. Piplup charged forwards and pounded once, twice, thrice: once on the ground to reach the belly of the rock/ground opponent, twice on the belly to reach roughly where its shoulders should be and then a third time to land atop Onix's head. But before it could shake the water Pokémon off, Piplup had pounded one more time and leapt into the air.

'Face down Piplup,' Amy commanded, 'Bubblebeam!'

The resulting attack forced the penguin Pokémon higher into the air whilst spraying the rock snake beneath it. Piplup began spreading bubbles again into wide field attack using the height its last attack had given it. Roark realised with a slight panic jolt that if he didn't get the water Pokémon back down the ground level, he was going to lose this round.

'Onix, use your tail and slam Piplup to the ground,' he cried. Onix obeyed, shifting its weight so that it could reach upwards with its tail. Piplup looked up in a panic as the rock tail fell towards it.

'Bubblebeam to avoid it Piplup,' Amy responded, seeing her Pokémon's distress. The resulting attack caused Piplup to shoot sideways, successfully avoiding the Slam, but also steering slightly off course and heading towards a wall. 'Quickly, attack Onix with a Bubblebeam,' Amy yelled, realising if she didn't attack soon, the angle would be wrong and it would all have been for nothing.

The attack, coupled with the descending bubble field, hit Onix in the face. It also sent Piplup crashing into the wall with alarming speed. As Amy ran forwards to catch her falling Pokémon, she was aware that it wasn't the only thing aiming for the ground. She caught Piplup as Onix hit the floor with a crash.

There was a pause before the stands erupted with applause. Amy and Piplup stared at the rock snake, aware that the referee was saying that it was unable to battle, but not totally believing it. It was only when Eric's hand clamped onto Amy's shoulder did her face break into a grin and she began to spin round and round, an exhausted Piplup in her arms.

Promising the penguin a well earned rest, Amy withdrew it and returned to her position as Roark withdrew Onix. Roark and Amy faced one another again and picked their next Pokémon.

'I think I underestimated you,' Roark congratulated Amy, 'so I'll treat you to a fight with my powerhouse. I'm sorry but it won't be easy.'

'And Onix was easy?' Amy muttered.

Roark grinned. 'Come on, Cranidos,' he yelled. There was a flash and the Head Butt rock Pokémon appeared on the field. Amy listened to her Pokédex entry whilst biting her lip. She wasn't expecting Cranidos now. She supposed it should be good, as it meant she still had Turtwig at full health, but did she use it now or save it for the Geodude that was inevitably going to be next.

_Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokémon. Cranidos lived in jungles around 100 million years ago. It was resurrected from an iron ball-like fossil. Its skull is as hard as iron and it downs prey with its headbutts. _

'I choose Chimchar,' Amy said after the machine in her hands had finished speaking, plucking the fire Pokémon's poké ball from her belt and tossing it into the air. The chimp Pokémon landing on the field with a squeal and faced its rock type opponent.

From the crowd, muttering had broken out among the trainers, particularly the Outsiders. Amy's cheek burned red as she imagined what they might be saying. No-one shouted out anything however so she tried to focus solely on the match.

Chimchar had yet to learn a fighting move, Amy thought desperately, but I might be able to beat this without one. If I can use that field technique again...

'Okay, Chimchar, let's start things off! Ember the area!'

Slightly confused, not used to this technique, Chimchar began to spread fire across the arena. But, not falling for this again, Roark called out, 'Counter with Rock Tomb! Trap Chimchar in its own flames.' The quick response of Cranidos built a rocky wall before Chimchar, blocking its flames from advancing further.

But Amy was not planning on being trapped in one place. 'Flame Wheel Chimchar,' she said, 'let's go up and over that rock wall.' Chimchar nodded, backed up slightly and began to spin. In Flame Wheel form, it race up and flew into the air, before landing on the other side.

Unfortunately, Amy couldn't see what was going on the other side and could only listen as Roark snapped, 'Headbutt now!' and Chimchar's cry that indicated a direct hit. Chimchar flew off to one side and landed on the side of the field. Amy tried to move from her position, but Eric held her back.

'You're not allowed to go to her,' he explained, 'it was permitted with Piplup because you were withdrawing anyway. But if you go to Chimchar, it would be counted as withdrawal from the battle.'

'I wasn't planning on going to Chimchar,' Amy admitted, 'I was planning on moving so I could see round this wall in my way.' She indicated the churned up rock Cranidos' Rock Tomb had produced.

'Ah, yeah, that might be a problem,' Eric agreed.

Amy stared back at the rocky barrier. She couldn't have Chimchar disappearing over the other side. It was like forcing her Pokémon to fight blindfolded. But she doubted that Roark would risk the same and let Cranidos fight alone on her half. That left the only place they could fight, the only place both trainers could see their Pokémon...

'Chimchar,' Amy called out, 'jump up and on top of the rocky barrier.'

Chimchar picked herself up, let out a squeal of agreement and leapt up the rocks along the edge on top of the wall the Rock Tomb had made. Roark frowned. He could sort of see where this was going, but he wasn't going to give Amy her way just yet.

'Use Rock Tomb again,' he ordered.

'Dodge it,' Amy countered, and Chimchar leapt aside as another pillar or rock speared out of the ground where it had been. This continued for some time before Roark came up with another idea.

'Headbutt the wall,' he ordered, 'knock Chimchar off.'

This was something Amy had practiced with Chimchar before. It had been a game that they had played in their first week. Eric had constructed a seat with four spring legs. One starter had stood atop the seat and the other two and tried to knock it off without attacking the Pokémon directly. Chimchar had had the best balance by far.

'Brace yourself,' she commanded Chimchar. She could have sworn Chimchar had giggled in response. The headbutt caused the wall to shake violently, but Chimchar spread its feet and crouched low as it remembered the training exercise. Amy waited until the shaking was weaker before saying, 'now let's try that ember field again shall we?'

Chimchar took a deep breath and spread the flames across the battle field, on Cranidos' side. However, the flames did not last long as they had nothing to set alight. Amy could tell this by the way the flickering shadows on the wall behind Roark died after a couple of minutes. Then Roark shouted across to her, 'I don't think that move will work again. Cranidos, back up slightly. We're going to try head-butting Chimchar off the wall.'

That was what Amy wanted to hear. 'Chimchar, ember field again!' Chimchar's flames licked the field as Roark sighed. She really didn't give up.

Amy wasn't. 'Now, before they die, Flame Wheel!'

'Headbutt it Cranidos,' Roark ordered as Chimchar leapt down in a fiery ball, picking up the flames still wavering on the rock field, charging towards Cranidos. Cranidos' head went back and forwards into the oncoming Chimchar. There was a moment as both forces collided and both Pokémon seemed to freeze. Then Chimchar flew backwards and Cranidos flew the other way and there was silence as both hit the ground.

Then, slowly, both Pokémon climbed back to their feet. There was an intake of breath, before Chimchar whimpered and collapsed again.

'Chimchar is unable to battle,' the referee declared.

Amy rounded on Eric. 'Now can I move?' she asked defiantly.

'I won't stop you,' Eric said, allowing Amy past. She raced around the rocky barrier, noticing out of the corner of her eye the cracks where Cranidos had been head-butting it and to her fire starter. Chimchar looked up at her weakly.

'It's okay, you tried your best,' she reassured her, returning her to her poké ball. Whilst she was there, she assessed Cranidos' state. Despite slight bruising and what Amy thought was a burn, it was still standing. She'd have to take it out quickly.

Hurrying back to her side, Amy pulled out her final poké ball. 'Turtwig,' she called out, 'come on out.'

As the grass starter landed on the pitch, there was uproar from the stands. Shouts of 'All three?' and 'Thief!' could be heard distinctly above the rest. Amy did her best to block them out, but they were starting to wear her down after a particularly nasty shout from Emmet of 'You're not a real Outsider; hoax!' The chant 'hoax! Hoax!' began to rise from the Outsiders, and the Sinnoh born trainers began to join in, not fully understanding what it meant. Amy buried her face in her hands, and then felt herself be pulled into a hug by Eric, as if that would keep the words out.

Hoax. In many ways, I am, Amy thought. I haven't had the same experiences as most of the Outsider trainers. I got to live in a nice house with a woman who wants me to call her "Mum". I come from Twinleaf town. One of my best friends is Dawn. I got a starter Pokémon from Professor Rowan. I seem more like a conventional game hero than an Outsider. The only difference is it has been six months since my tenth birthday. And I earned these starters.

I earned these starters.

Amy pulled away from Eric and faced the rock wall. Roark was probably waiting for her to do something, she thought, judging by his lack of attack. He probably didn't understand what they were going on about, but was waiting to see if Amy would rise to the challenge or buckle under the crowd's insults.

'Turtwig, let's get rid of that annoying barrier. Razor leaf,' Amy called out, focusing fully on the match, hoping that it would drown out the sound of the jeering onlookers.

Turtwig obeyed and soon rock and leaves were flying over Roark's area. Caught unawares, just as distracted by the cries of the crowd, Roark was too late with his response. Although Cranidos got halfway through a countering Rock Tomb, a wayward rock from the previous barrier glanced off the top of its head. It hit the ground and did not get back up.

Amy gaped as the gym quietened down; everyone amazed by how quickly Cranidos had fallen. Roark sighed and withdrew his Pokémon, telling Amy, 'lucky shot,' before turning to the crowd. 'Will you stop distracting the battling trainers with your mindless abuse?' he shouted, 'if you want to ask Amy why she has the three Pokémon starters please do so after this battle. It is difficult to concentrate with your yelling.' The crowd went quiet.

'That was lucky,' Amy murmured to Eric.

Eric shrugged. 'Roark was distracted by the crowd and out of tune to his Cranidos' health. If he had been concentrating, he would have realised that your Chimchar's Flame Wheel and Ember combo did more damage than he had first anticipated.'

'Cool,' Amy said, 'then there's just one more to go.'

'Geodude,' Roark said calmly, 'I'm relying on you.' The rock Pokémon nodded and bounced on the ground, excited for its match.

Amy considered it. She still had two Pokémon left, even though Piplup was low on energy after its match against Onix. She somehow doubted that it would last long in a second round. That meant beating Geodude with Turtwig.

'Let's start things off with a Razor Leaf,' Amy commanded.

'Dodge it and use Rollout,' Roark said. Geodude dived to one side and began to spin. It charged across the field towards Turtwig. Amy wished she had saved Chimchar for this match, just to see how Flame Wheel would have fared against such an attack. But instead, she called out, 'Withdraw!' and watched as Geodude collided with Turtwig's shell and caused the grass starter to whizz across the field until it hit the wall.

Turtwig wandered back onto the pitch as Amy asked it if it was okay and faced Geodude again. Amy had never seen the normally lazy Pokémon so determined. Maybe it seemed to sense that it was Amy's last hope at the coal badge.

'Okay, let's go again,' Amy said, 'Razor Leaf!'

'Dodge with Rollout,' Roark commanded again. Geodude curled up and began to spin.

'Keep your ground, Turtwig,' Amy ordered, 'focus your Razor Leaves on the oncoming Geodude.' The barrage of leave did nothing to stop the advancing Geodude, who let the leaves rebound off it as if they were nothing. When it was a few paces away, Amy snapped, 'now leapt to one side and use Absorb.'

The red beam weakened Geodude a lot more than the Razor Leaves had done. It took a while, but Amy was eventually in a place where she thought she was winning. And when it came to the final blows of Tackles, it was Geodude who hit the ground first.

Amy stood stock still as the referee called out she was the winner, not daring to believe it. She had won! She had won her first match! A slow grin spread from ear to ear as she and Roark met half way across the battle field. The young gym leader was smiling too.

'Congratulations Amy,' he said, handing her the small metal badge, 'I think I underestimated your determination. But I reassure you, I'm going to get stronger and beat you one day.'

Amy smiled as she slid her first gym badge into her badge case, and then asked out of curiosity, 'Roark, how long have you been a gym leader?'

Roark scratched the back of his neck and admitted, 'only a few months. But I'm going to get stronger, I promise you.'

'Can't wait,' Amy said, shaking the young trainer's hand, 'maybe teach Onix some rock moves. You could have easily popped those bubbles if you had had a move like Rock Throw or Stealth Rock.'

'Yeah, yeah you're right,' Roark's eyes lit up, 'thanks.' Then he chuckled and said nervously, 'you know, it's meant to be the gym leaders telling the trainers how to make their Pokémon stronger, not the other way around.'

Amy laughed. 'I know, but you're learning,' Amy headed back over to Eric, but slowed as she saw that gathering behind her friend was a growing crowd of Outsiders. Heading them up was Emmet. They were looking for an explanation to her team. Amy sighed.

'Anyone who wants to hear how I managed to get hold of all three starters can meet me in the Pokémon centre around,' she checked her watch, 'five this afternoon. But I need to get these guys rested up, and have a rest myself.'

'We're going to be there,' Emmet told her, glaring slightly at her. Amy felt slightly disheartened by the fact that even Emmet seemed now against her.

Fortunately for her, Roark managed to distract the trainers with the cry of, 'I'm having a half an hour break before I'm facing my next opponent. If you want that to be you, please have a word with my referee. He'll sort it out.' As the young gym leader disappeared, there was a stampede towards the wide-eyed referee as every other trainer was desperate to prove that they could beat Roark too.

Amy sighed with relief once she was outside. Someone patted her back and she looked up to see Eric grinning down at her. 'Congratulations,' he said cheerfully.

'Thanks,' Amy said.

'Come on, let's get your Pokémon seen to and then I'll introduce you to my new Ponyta,' Eric said.

'I like that,' Amy said beginning to follow him. A hand shot out from the side of the gym and stopped her in her tracks.

'Congratulations on winning,' the boy in the shadows said.

Amy blinked at him. 'Uh, thanks,' she peered closer, 'you're that boy from Jubilife aren't you?' The boy stepped forwards. A Magnemite appeared with him, buzzing slightly. Amy nodded at it. 'New Pokémon?'

'Fairly new,' the boy agreed.

'I'm sorry,' Eric said, stepping up to the pair and looking between them, 'who is this?'

'It's um... I don't know,' Amy turned back to the boy. 'Who are you?'

'You got all three starters,' the boy said, ignoring Amy's question.

'Yes I did. He gave them to me. Who are you?'

'Why? Why did he give them to you?'

'He said I'm going to change the image of the Outsiders.'

'Are you now?' the boy murmured looking Amy up and down, 'well, I better get a piece of you fast.'

'Excuse me?' Amy said, eyebrows shooting up, but the boy merely smiled and began to walk away. 'Who are you?' Amy called after him. She saw a flash of light and something dark flew into the sky. 'Who are you?' Amy shouted as the dark shape dived, scooped up its trainer and boy and bird Pokémon flew away into the distance.

'That's nice,' Eric muttered, 'speaks a load of cryptic clues and then flies off without another word. Very mysterious.'

'Jealous?' Amy called over her shoulder.

'No, don't be stupid,' Eric scowled at the ground and then strode away crying out, 'come on, you have Pokémon to heal.'

But Amy remained rooted to the spot, staring at the place where the boy disappeared. Who was he? Amy wondered, allowing herself to be pulled away by Eric. Who was he?

* * *

><p>Keep him in mind. He will be returning in chapters to come :)<p>

Warning: I don't know when the next upload will come as exams will be descending upon me soon. :( But I am aiming to update as soon as I can!


	17. Big Brother Bother

Sorry, I realise I've not updated in a very long time. My excuse: Life (with a tinsy bit of procrastination), but now that Black 2 and White 2 are out, I really should get back into the Pokémon mood.

Disclaimer: I own the Outsiders and Eric +, but I own no Pokémon. :( If I did, they would probably remind me and motivate me to update this more often.

* * *

><p>Amy was met by a crowd of trainers, most of whom were Outsiders, in the Pokémon centre at five. Heading them up was Emmet who drew up a chair for Amy in the middle of the group and then lent over her and growled, 'So?'<p>

Amy took a deep breath and began to explain. She told them about applying to Professor Rowan for a starter, and being rejected just like every Outsider. She explained how Ms Foster and Johanna had gone to see him and talked him into letting her choose from the next batch of starter Pokémon as there were no registered ten year olds for that year. She told them about the stealing of the Pokémon from the lab the day she went to collect them and how she had managed to spend a week with the Pokémon in order to be able to decide. She described her battle with Palmer to test her and how Professor Rowan had given her all three after seeing how she had bonded with them.

Thought there were many complaints and mutters throughout this part, Amy knew that was nothing compared to what was going to happen when she told them about her "second" mission. So after explaining how Rowan had given her the three Pokémon based on her battle with Palmer, she stopped talking, hoping that she wouldn't have to mention it.

Only Emmet seemed to sense that there was something else because he asked, 'okay, so you're an impressive battler. We saw that when you beat Roark, though personally I think he should have won, he was just careless,' Amy had to remind herself that Emmet had just lost his battle with the rock gym leader so as to not get offended by that statement, 'but that can't be the only reason why he picked you!'

'I got lucky?' Amy volunteered.

'Uh huh?' Emmet jabbed a finger at Amy's chest, 'what else did you do to swing all three?'

'Nothing!' Amy insisted, 'I just got on with them all...'

'Friends with them all?' Emmet said disbelievingly, 'it took me two weeks to befriend my Burmy! And we're supposed to assume you did it within a week?!'

'Uh...' Amy didn't know how to respond to that.

'So you were friends with them...' Emmet seemed to calm down somewhat, 'okay, he didn't want to hurt the Pokémon's feelings by separating them from you. Was that it?'

'Yes,' Amy said quickly.

Much of the crowd had disappeared now; it seemed to be only Emmet and a few interested stragglers. Amy wasn't convinced that she had convinced them, but she had told the truth, what more could she do?

Emmet paused in thought and then said, thoughtfully, 'so Professor Rowan cares more for the feelings of Pokémon than he does for the feelings of trainers? What happens to the other Outsiders who could have been offered a starter, eh?'

'Well, the only other Outsider I know is my brother, and he's too young to receive...' Amy began.

Emmet slammed his hand down on a table. 'I was put in a hospice in Jubilife,' he shouted, 'I know there were plenty of Outsiders who wanted starters from Rowan! He could have given them one!'

'Yeah, I met two on my way from Sandgem to Jubilife,' Amy murmured, thinking back to the two rookies she had battled not so long ago.

'See!' Emmet yelled. Amy felt her face flush. He was attracting so much attention.

'Will you keep your voice down?' Eric intervened. He had been feeling tetchy ever since their run in with the mysterious boy with the Magnemite and didn't like the way Emmet was behaving now. 'If you lower your voice, we'll tell you the other part, yeah?' He glanced at Amy. She was shaking her head violently.

'What are you going on about?' Emmet demanded. He too noticed Amy's response.

Amy caught hold of Eric's arm. 'If we're going to tell him, I'm going to say it,' she said firmly.

Emmet looked between them. 'Tell me what?' he demanded.

Tell him what; Amy was wondering just that. She hated when Eric brought up the "change Outsiders" mission. Sometimes she thought he'd made it up. I mean, she hadn't heard Professor Rowan mention it to her. But then again, if that was his plan, he probably wouldn't tell her. And there was that time Eric had gone off on his own when she'd been training her starters in that first week. He'd said he'd wanted time with Hoothoot. Is it possible he'd seen Rowan then?

Amy decided that was something to ask Eric later. She'd never considered it until now because she didn't want to start doubting her friend. But when Amy stopped and thought about it, Amy realised there was a lot she didn't know about her friend.

Deal with that later. Emmet was her concern now.

'Professor Rowan gave me these Pokémon, because he deems that there should be a change in the way that Outsider trainers are viewed,' Amy said carefully, 'he understands that it's not our fault we got stuck here. He understands that we have an image of people who mistreat Pokémon and act as if they have no feelings. He wants that to be changed. So I am an Outsider who is having the usual Pokémon journey to change that. That means getting a starter Pokémon from the local Professor. It's just they all like me. That's why I got all three.'

'You have to change the "image of an Outsider",' Emmet repeated disbelievingly.

Amy scratched the back of her head awkwardly and chuckled. 'Uh... yeah...'

Emmet ground his teeth together in thought. Then he grunted and sat down on the nearest seat. 'I've heard a lot of prejudice against Outsiders on my journey,' he admitted, 'I'm glad that Rowan doesn't agree with it. Still...' he looked Amy up and down, 'do you think you're right for it?'

'No,' Amy admitted, 'I don't feel prepared for it at all. I don't think I'm the one everyone should depend on. I just wanted to be a trainer. I wanted to go on a journey and have fun. Then I heard about this...!' she sat back and sighed.

'Would you give it up though?' Emmet asked quietly, 'would you pass the baton on?'

Amy glanced at him. 'Are you volunteering?'

Emmet shrugged. Amy stared at him for a long time before shrugging in return. 'I'm just planning on ignoring it and getting on with my journey. Otherwise, I'll start going out of my way to be different; I don't want to be different. I want to be like everyone else.'

'That's no longer possible,' Emmet pointed out.

'Don't need to tell me that,' Amy grumbled. She glanced at her watch and then at Eric. 'I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat and then get to bed. We should start out for Floaroma town tomorrow.' She looked down at Emmet as she stood up. 'Good luck with your challenge again.'

'Thank you,' he replied, 'good luck you two with your next gym.'

The two left Emmet and his friends to talk about what they had just heard, both thinking about different things. They ate in silence and it was only when they were heading for their separate bedrooms they had booked in the Pokémon centre did Eric say, 'I think you handled that very well.'

'Thank you,' Amy responded, gripping the edge of her door. Should she ask him now, she wondered, ask him where it came from?

'Goodnight,' Eric grinned and left Amy alone in the corridor.

'Night.'

* * *

><p>Amy did not sleep well that night. She dreamt of Galactic goons and Emmet with his disbelieving expression. Then she felt a great weight on her shoulders and, glancing back, she saw she was carrying the Pokémon world on her back; Sinnoh had been placed right next to her face. She struggled to lift it, whilst darkness coiled around her feet and someone laughed.<p>

Amy fought through the shifting layers of sleep and broke through the covers to find herself face to face with Eric. He lifted his hands slowly; that is what Amy had felt in her dream. Amy glared at him then turned and reburied her face in the pillows. Eric didn't question it. This movement had become a daily occurrence.

Once Eric had managed to get Amy upright, he left her to get dressed. Amy struggled into her jeans, her dream still at the forefront of her mind. Most of it was hazy, but the feeling of the world upon her shoulders was still there, pressing into her back. Glancing absentmindedly out of the window, Amy saw Emmet on his way to the gym. She waved in case he looked back and saw her, but he didn't.

Nothing eventful happened as they left Oreburgh. The four campers followed them until Mt Coronet, chatting excitedly about Amy's success in the gym and how they couldn't wait until they could challenge Rowan too. Only Diana didn't join in this conversation; when Amy asked her of her opinion, the little blonde admitted that she didn't really like the idea of gym challenges.

'You want to be a coordinator, don't you?' Amy said. 'Oh don't look so surprised,' she continued, 'I can see a well trained Pokémon when I see one. That Pokémon looked like it had been trained for contests. Who knows, you might be a star someday.' Diana flushed.

They parted from the campers, who yelled promises after them until they were no longer visible, and then the awkward silence descended. Amy was thinking about how to ask Eric about her question about the mission. She was gathering the courage to just say it, when a voice ahead of them said, 'well, look who it isn't!'

Eric froze. His eyes widened. Amy glanced between him and the stranger on the road. She jumped to conclusions faster than Eric could gather his thoughts and stepped forwards to greet the man. 'Eric's older brother, I presume?'

The man grinned. His hair was a similar nut brown, but he had styled his up in a spiked quiff. His eyes were a darker blue to Eric's and his air carried arrogance. Amy could understand why Eric didn't like talking about him. She got the feeling that these two were very different.

'Tomas,' the man agreed, shaking Amy's hand, 'and you must be Amy. Eric wouldn't shut up about you when he came home six months ago. He's right; you are quite pretty.' Amy flushed and glanced back at Eric who wasn't looking at her. And then Tomas continued, 'well, personally I prefer real beauties but I can see where Eric is coming from with you.'

Amy's mouth flopped open. Anger welled up inside her.

Eric tried to come to her rescue. 'Shut up Tomas,' he snapped, 'stop being such a jerk.'

Tomas shrugged. 'Just voicing my opinions little bro,' he said, letting go of Amy's hand and throwing an arm around the irritated boy, 'we all know that's allowed.'

'We all know you'd do it even if it wasn't,' Eric scowled. His cheeks were slightly pink too.

Tomas flashed him a grin. 'Well, that's true. How's Hoothoot coming along?'

'Fine,' Eric muttered.

'You caught for Eric, didn't you?' Amy commented.

'Well, yes,' Tomas agreed, 'I was the best for the job you see. Mum and Dad gave up being trainers a long time ago. Caught any other Pokémon since? I was surprised when you returned home still with just Hooty.'

'Hooty?' Amy repeated disbelievingly as Eric said hurriedly, 'yeah, I caught a Budew in Jubilife and traded a Ponyta for a Machop that I caught, although it's not obeying me very much. Yet,' he added swiftly.

'Hooty?'

'Ah, well, you need to sort that out fast,' Tomas said over the top of Amy's head, 'otherwise you won't win any battles.'

'I don't like battling,' Eric muttered.

'Um, excuse me?'

'Not this again!' Tomas exclaimed, raising his hands dramatically to the sky, 'that's the whole point of being a trainer, little brother, to train Pokémon and win battles!'

'Not true,' Amy interjected, 'there's Pokémon co-ordinators who take part in contests, Pokémon Athletes who train with Pokémon to compete, Pokémon Breeders who, um, breed Pokémon, Pokémon rangers who...'

'Yeah, and can you imagine Eric as any of those?' Tomas interrupted.

'So are you a strong trainer, Tomas?' Amy asked as Eric flushed and stared at his shoes.

Tomas grinned lazily at her. 'Well, will you challenge me if I said yes?' he teased.

'No,' Amy said airily. 'I don't think you would be of any interest to me.'

Both brothers gaped at her for a moment and then Tomas stepped forwards. 'Well, I think you to learn how to judge character,' he said. His manner had changed. Before he had been all smiles and jokes. Now he was as serious as a gym leader, and possibly with the skills to match, Amy thought forcing herself to remain rooted to the spot. He has been a trainer longer than me and Eric.

Amy struggled not to gulp and looked Tomas straight in the eye. 'Prove me wrong then,' she said calmly.

* * *

><p>Eric glanced from one side of the field to the other. One side stood his brother, that ridiculous quiff of his flopping over one eyes in a way only Tomas could think cool – probably because he was only using one eye to study his reflection. On the other side was Amy, one of the most promising trainers Eric had met, and who was, in his eyes, quite pretty.<p>

'Okay, go!' he shouted to them and they each selected a Pokémon from their belts.

'Chimchar, let's go!' Amy yelled, tossing the poké ball into the air. The fire monkey landed on the ground with a neat forward roll and grinned happily up at them all.

Tomas' eyes narrowed. 'Eric said you were an Outsider.'

'Yeah, that's right.'

'Outsiders...'

'I know, I know,' Amy interrupted. She was starting to get a bit frustrated with the constant criticism of her team.

'Just checking.'

'Don't think I stole them, do you?'

'Nope, or Eric wouldn't be still around,' Tomas flashed a smile and added, 'unless you used that pretty charm of yours on him.'

'Yuck,' Amy responded, with a glance at Eric. His checks were flushed again. 'Just pick a Pokémon already!'

'Fine,' Tomas lazily tossed a poké ball into the air, 'it's your turn Swablu.'

Uh oh, Amy thought as the cotton bird Pokémon joined Tomas on his side of the field, I'm starting off at a disadvantage, well it will this interesting. She scanned the Pokémon into her Pokédex.

_Swablu, the cotton bird Pokémon. Its wings are like cotton tufts. It can't relax if it or its surroundings are not clean. It wipes off dirt with its wings._

'We can do this Chimchar!' Amy shouted encouragingly, 'let's start off with a Flame Wheel!'

'Dodge it,' Tomas ordered simply. With the beating of its wings, Swablu raised itself out of Chimchar's reach. 'Now use Fury Attack.' With its height advantage, Swablu swooped down and rapped repeatedly on Chimchar's head with its beak.

'Scratch it,' Amy shouted and Chimchar used the chance to scrap her claws down Swablu's front. Tomas merely snorted and said, 'Take Down then Mist and then move away from it.'

'It is a she!' Amy bellowed at him, 'Chimchar, hit it with an Ember!'

'It's a he,' Tomas mimicked as Swablu soared well out of reach, 'bored of this; Swablu finish Chimchar off with Take Down!'

'Chimchar, Flame Wheel!' Amy shouted but the order came too late. Distracted by the glittering mist surrounding it, Chimchar failed to see the incoming attack and was knocked backwards and out cold. 'Chimchar!' Amy screamed running to her Pokémon's side.

'Chimchar's unable to battle,' Eric said dully, 'Tomas and Swablu win this round.'

Tomas snorted with laughter, 'did you hear that? "Chimchar"!' He mocked Amy's cry to her Pokémon.

Amy was shaking with rage as she rocked Chimchar in her arms. 'Chim...' the fire started stared up at her with big brown eyes filled with disappointment.

'It wasn't you, it wasn't you,' Amy whispered to it, 'it's my fault, I'm sorry, I didn't give my order in time, I could have done something...' Chimchar gave a small, 'Chim,' and nuzzled closer to Amy's chest. 'You get a nice long rest,' Amy said to her, drawing out Chimchar's poké ball, 'and we'll work on hitting levitating targets next time, yeah?'

'Bring out your next Pokémon already,' Tomas moaned, 'getting bored here.'

Amy slowly returned to her place and stared across the field, eyes burning with fury. 'How can you demand respect if you don't show it to others?' she snapped.

Tomas scratched the back of his head. 'Oh, that's what we were fighting about,' he said and gave a nervous laugh, 'to be honest I totally forgot.' Then his gaze became serious once more and he said, 'oh yeah, I remember, bring it.'

Amy gaped at him. 'You're weird,' she exclaimed, 'you're so...' she couldn't remember the word so just spluttered out a, 'weird...' She picked another poké ball and tossed it onto the field, 'Shinx, you're turn!'

Sparks flying, Shinx arrived on the scene. Tomas raised his eyebrows. 'Oh, going for the type advantage now!'

'You're one to talk!' Amy snapped, 'Shinx, Charge!' Sparks covered Shinx's body and it began to glow.

'Now going to help,' Tomas told Amy, 'Take Down, Swablu.'

'Flash!' Amy yelled.

'What?' Tomas spluttered as the entire field was engulfed in bright white light, 'Swablu, Mist!'

'Not going to help,' Amy called out, 'Spark Shinx; show Swablu your strength!'

Shivering somewhat from the condensation of the mist on its fur, Shinx leapt at the blinded Swablu. 'Counter-attack with Take Down!' ordered Tomas.

The collision caused considerable damage to both Pokémon; Swablu reeling from the recoil of Take Down and Shinx's Spark attack. Tomas didn't want to be backing down though, 'Fury Attack, Swablu.'

'Flash, get out of Swablu's way,' Amy ordered Shinx.

'You can't keep doing this forever,' Tomas told her as Swablu chased Shinx around the field, being blinded by Flash, diving for an attack, only to have to withdraw last second as another flash would light the field.

'Watch me,' Amy said smartly, 'your Swablu is going to get tired quicker than my Shinx.' Tomas seemed to come to the same conclusion but had another trick up his sleeve.

'Swablu, Sing,' he said. Swablu, thankful for a rest, settled in the middle of the field and, before Amy could give the order to attack, had begun to sing. Shinx dropped off almost instantly. 'Looks like it was just as thankful to be given a break!' laughed Tomas.

'Shinx wake up,' Amy begged, 'please wake up!' but Shinx slept on.

'Finish it off with Fury Attack!' Tomas ordered. It didn't take long for Swablu to dispatch Shinx now that it was lying on the ground.

Amy withdrew it and grumpily picked her next Pokémon. 'Let's take this battle to the sky then,' she said, 'Starly, you're up!' The Starling Pokémon swooped onto the field. 'Let's see how much energy your Swablu really has left.'

'Very well,' Tomas said dully, 'Swablu Sing.'

'Drown it out with Growl!' Amy yelled, fingers tightly crossed behind her back that this would work. To her intense relief, Starly managed to stay upright and awake. 'Great! Wing Attack!'

'Fury Attack on the wing,' Tomas ordered. Starly spun away as Swablu's sharp beak punctured its wing. Amy noted that Swablu was barely moving from the ground now.

'Hit it with a quick attack,' she ordered. Starly swooped in fast and caught the Swablu with a blow to the back. Swablu hit the ground but struggled back to its feet. 'And again!'

'Sing... no wait, Take Down!' Swablu managed to lift itself off the ground with a few feeble beats of its wings and smashed into Starly. When the smoke from their collision faded, Swablu was down, Starly only just keeping airborne.

'Return Swablu,' Tomas said. In a flash of red light, Swablu vanished. Tomas sighed, 'it was the final recoil from Take Down that did it, I bet. Oh well...'

'Oh well?' Amy stammered, 'is that it? Oh well! That's all you can say to your Pokémon!'

'Nah, I'll congratulate it later!' Tomas retorted.

'You know, you are sounding a lot like how an Outsider supposedly talks,' Amy snapped.

'And I think Eric's rubbed off on you,' Tomas snapped back, choosing his next Pokémon: Bronzor.

'Oh great,' Amy muttered under her breath as she scanned it into her Pokédex, 'and both Chimchar and Shinx are down, Starly nor Turtwig have no super effective moves against it, Piplup might work...'

Needless to say, Starly's battle didn't last very long. The bronze Pokémon's strong defence was too tough for Amy's tired flying Pokémon who was soon knocked out with a Confusion attack.

Amy's next choice was Piplup, which surprised Tomas greatly. 'You have another Sinnoh starter!' he yelled, and then examined the Amy and Eric's faces; 'I bet that's been said before hasn't it.'

'Yup,' they agreed.

'Whatever,' Amy muttered and then commanded a Bubblebeam from Piplup.

'Iron Defence,' Tomas ordered. Amy cursed quietly under her breath; not what she needed. Piplup's attack bounced harmlessly off Bronzor's toughened skin. Confusion sent it reeling backwards. Tomas' next move came as a surprise to Amy: Confuse Ray.

'Why have Confuse Ray when you have Confusion?' Amy asked.

'Just to be on the safe side,' Tomas informed her, 'why wouldn't you have Will-O-Wisp to a fire Pokémon when Flamethrower has a chance of burning? Or Thunder Wave to an electric Pokémon with Static? To be on the safe side.'

Amy watched her Piplup wonder round and round, confused. 'Confusion!' Tomas shouted.

'Piplup, bubble area!' Amy yelled, thinking that that move might have a chance of hitting. Piplup went to follow her instructions, but ended up using Bubblebeam instead of Bubble, and hit Amy. Amy coughed and hurriedly brushed down the front of her t-shirt to dry it. She had to admit; Bubblebeam had had a greater effect than Bubble would have, widening the range and force of the attack. It was just a pity that Piplup was not in a state to admire its handiwork because it was taking another Confusion attack from Bronzor. It hit the ground hard and stared at Amy only just realising she was sitting down. It leapt to its feet with a cheep of worry. The confusion had been broken.

'Bubblebeam,' Amy yelled, pointing at Bronzor, 'hurry.'

Piplup began to spin round, but Confusion intercepted it and it kept on spinning back round and it hit the ground. Amy scooped it up, stroked its forehead, murmuring to it, and then returned it to its poké ball. Tomas raised his eyebrows as Turtwig emerged but this time did not comment.

'Razor Leaf!' Amy ordered, 'cover the air!' Leaves flew in all directions; some glancing off Bronzor but Tomas retaliated with an Iron Defence. Amy considered strengthening her own defences and so called for Turtwig to withdraw.

Tomas grinned and simply said, 'get in close Bronzor.'

Amy didn't realise what he was planning until it was too late. 'It's really near!' she yelled, 'hit it with a Razor Leaf!'

'Hypnosis.'

'No! Withdraw, Turtwig! Withdraw, withdraw, withdraw!' but it was too late. The hypnosis hit dead on, just as Hoothoot's had by the lake, and the same Turtwig slumbered on the ground.

'You have to realise something Amy,' Tomas said, trying to sound compassionate whilst Bronzor hit Turtwig a multitude of times with Confusion whilst the latter snoozed, 'every Pokémon has a different strength; my Bronzor has a very high defence but poor attack so I work with that and taught it moves that would benefit a Pokémon not getting hit very often. You need to work to your Pokémon's strengths.'

'I know that,' Amy snapped from her position on the ground. She moved so as to stay close to Turtwig, 'that's why I'm planning on keeping Shinx's Flash; using it, Shinx's quick speed can make up for poor attack.'

'But what about your other Pokémon?' Tomas queried, 'you pushed your Starly very hard in its match against Bronzor, and you were very forceful. Where does Starly's strength lie?' and when Amy didn't answer, 'what is Piplup's?'

'Shut up.' Amy's voice quivered.

Tomas smirked. 'Let this be a lesson to you,' he said as Turtwig collapsed, defeated. 'You may have some talent, but you have two major problems. One is that you can't recognise the true potential of your Pokémon. Not that I could tell you what they are, but there you go. You don't can utilize some moves well, like Shinx's flash and Piplup's Bubblebeam I'll grant you that, but Chimchar's Flame Wheel should be stronger.'

'What are you?' Amy muttered, cradling Turtwig in her arms, 'a Pokémon connoisseur?'

As Tomas didn't know what one of those was, he decided to ignore her. 'Second, and this my dear is painfully obvious, you favour your starter Pokémon.'

Amy gaped at him, 'of course I favour them; they're my starter Pokémon! I had to train them for about a week before I could even call them mine!'

'Well, yes, Eric told me. He phoned me during that week from Sandgem town. But because you favour them, your Starly is rather neglected I see. I think you work with Shinx well because you like its move set, but you really should have done more with that Starly of yours.' Amy didn't respond so Tomas shrugged. 'Ah well, I'll leave you to think about it shall I?' He moved off in the direction of Oreburgh. 'Good luck breaking in that Ponyta, little brother. Battle you again, Amy.' And then he was gone.

* * *

><p>Amy stayed where she was for a long time, staring at the roots of a tree opposite. Finally, Eric had to haul her to her feet and gradually guide her to Jubilife. They found the Pokémon Centre with a lot more ease than before and Amy handed her Pokémon over to Nurse Joy to be healed then, without staying to see them return, headed up to the rooms the pair had borrowed for the night. They had silently decided against staying with Jonathon tonight, despite the cost difference (i.e. the price of food and bedding at the Pokémon Centre compared to getting it for free elsewhere).<p>

Eric watched her go feeling deeply downtrodden. He knew that must be nothing to what Amy was feeling. He knew that Tomas could be harsh, but telling her that she had no interest in her Pokémon... his fist slammed down on the countertop in anger, making several people around him jump, that was going too far.

'Excuse me,' Nurse Joy was back, 'your friend's Pokémon have made a full recovery, but she doesn't seem to be around. Are you here to take them for her?'

Eric nodded dumbly. Nurse Joy handed the five poké balls over to him and then paused. 'She seemed really upset; is there anything I can do to help?'

'No, thank you,' Eric said. Nurse Joy nodded and began to move away. An idea struck Eric and he grabbed her arm with a quick, 'actually, there might be... do you have phone?'

'Amy?' Eric knocked at the door tentatively, 'Amy?' No response. 'Your Pokémon have come back from Nurse Joy fully healed. I have them here. Do you want them?' Still nothing. 'Listen, sorry about Tomas. He's a jerk. You shouldn't take anything he says to heart. Got beaten by an Outsider not two days into becoming a trainer so he's kind of got a grudge against you... I mean them.' Silence. 'Maybe I shouldn't have told you that part... look, I don't know what to do about your Pokémon. Do I leave them here or...?' There was a pause and then the sound of someone moving within. Eric waited for a few moments and then the door opened a crack. Amy's bag was thrust through it.

'Put them in there.'

'Are you sure?' Eric asked nervously. The door widened a little further and Amy glared out at him. Eric thought that if he handed her a knife right now, he probably wouldn't last more than a few seconds. 'Err... right.' He dropped the five poké balls into the bag. The door was slammed shut. 'Well... have a good night's sleep.' Silence once more. Eric sighed before entering his room opposite.

* * *

><p>Amy dropped the bag and flopped back onto the bed. She stared at nothing in particular, random thoughts bobbing through her head. She snatched at one and then another and slowly began to form a plan. Thoughts drifted about her and soon wrapped her in a cacoon of dreams so subtly, Amy didn't notice until she was in a deep sleep.<p>

She dreamt of flying and falling. She dreamt of darkness in a pool of midnight blue water. She dreamt of Tomas with that silly quiff of his on fire, but it burnt as if it were one with him and he was laughing. The water drenched the fire and Tomas turned into Amy, all alone in the black.

And someone was saying, 'I did it. I organised it all. I made it so that you had them, all three of them. You aren't to be a pawn. You are to be a queen. And here's the final square.' And she was saying, 'stop it with all the chess references,' as someone called out, 'checkmate!'

* * *

><p>Tee hee, I love foreshadowing. And I probably shouldn't tell you that :P<p>

Next time: More Team Galactic getting in the way. Who is behind it and what is there motive? Coming soon (whenever that is, but I promise it won't be more than a month...)


	18. Strong Wing Beats come from Bigger Wings

You know what, I'm not even going to apologise for not updating in a while. There is no amount of apologising that I can do to make up for it, instead a huge amount of updating is in order!

So here are some familiar faces for you to ponder the point of...

* * *

><p>In the park of Jubilife, Amy sat and watched her Pokémon play. She had wanted to set off as soon as breakfast was over, but Eric took one look at her face when she seated herself at the table and flat out refused. 'Not until you've recuperated,' he stated, 'I know my brother can be blunt and a complete moron; I want you to deal with that before we leave.' He had an ulterior motive but wasn't mentioning that to Amy yet. Not the right time.<p>

So Amy had gone to the park and released all her Pokémon from their balls. She had apologised to them profusely for their loss but promised that she wasn't giving up then let them go off and play. Eric noted that she didn't have the same cheerfulness she had before.

'I need to find out what is Starly's strength,' Amy muttered.

'Doesn't the Pokédex have something that tells you stats or something?' Eric asked, coming to sit next to her. His Pokémon were playing alongside Amy's, his Ponyta ignoring their attempts to get it to join them much to Eric's disappointment. However, he did note that it was very quick, a plus.

'Done that, but it's too early for anything to stand out,' Amy said, 'besides that's not what I mean. Like Chimchar's ability to pick up gymnastics moves, I want to see Starly's strengths beyond the numbers. Piplup's too, for that matter.'

'It can fly?' Eric said, confused, watching Hoothoot and Starly swoop between trees together.

'Hmmm...' Amy seemed to have gone to sleep, face to the sun, eyes closed. Eric glanced at her face, sighed and stood.

'Going for a walk,' he said. Amy made a noncommittal noise and didn't open her eyes. Eric sighed again and left her to her thoughts.

He took a certain gate, heading towards a certain block of flats to meet a certain group of people.

* * *

><p>When Eric's Pokémon realised he had gone, they initially panicked. But Amy called to them reassuringly, telling them he was coming back soon, but until then they were to play where she could see them. Hoothoot called to her in agreement from the tree it was perched in; Budew dipped its bud in acknowledgement and went back to toddling after Turtwig, to whom it had taken a liking. Ponyta tossed its head and made no comment. It was still skirting the group, trotting close enough to seem interested but racing off as soon as Amy or any of the Pokémon approached it.<p>

Amy sighed and called Starly to her arm. 'I want to try something,' she said hesitantly. Starly looked at her expectantly. Amy felt something tug at her heartstrings. I've been neglecting you, she thought, and yet you still look up to me. How terrible of me.

Amy took out a number of paper plates she had "borrowed" from the Pokémon centre. She had drawn and filled in circles in the centres (using the open end of a paper cup as the template). She laid the plates out on the grass and told Starly to fly overhead.

'This is an accuracy exercise,' she told the Starling Pokémon, 'you're attacks are all physical, so hitting your target is important. I'm going to point at a plate and you have to hit it as close to the centre as possible with the attack I call out, okay?'

Starly gave a tweet of agreement. 'Okay!' Amy smiled, 'let's go! Quick Attack that one!' she pointed to the plate furthest from Starly's current position above her head. Starly turned in the air (that needs work on, Amy thought) and dived. It rebounded off the paper plate and back into the air. Amy ran over to check its accuracy; it had struck the very edge of the circle.

'Okay,' Amy nodded slowly whilst Starly hovered overhead then suddenly, 'that one! Wing attack!' Slower than it had attacked the previous plate, Starly swooped, wing aglow. It struck the very edge of the plate, tweeted in frustration and climbed up again. Amy shrugged, 'that's why we're doing this.' I can also work on speed, she thought as Starly manoeuvred to hit the plate directly beneath it with a tackle. Hoothoot flapped over, hooting eagerly. 'What you want a go too?'

Amy watched the two flying Pokémon swooping about in the air and noted that Starly had better manoeuvrability in the air than Hoothoot. Agile in the air, possibly will be more so if it evolved; Amy decided she should work on that.

'Okay,' she called after a while, 'that should be enough for a while.' She glanced around, counting all her Pokémon. Her three starters, Shinx and Eric's Budew were all accounted for. Amy paused, counting on her fingers and realising she was one short. 'Where's Eric's Ponyta got to?'

* * *

><p>Said Ponyta had watched Amy for some time before wandering away. It was missing its mother and home. It thought about its new master, a kind male but not the female it remembered from its hometown. In short, Eric's Ponyta was homesick. It therefore refused to bond with the other Pokémon because it didn't want to get attached to a new place. It wanted to go home.<p>

It came out of its sulk long enough to realise that it was lost. And then something landed on its back.

* * *

><p>Amy was beginning to worry. She and Pokémon had searched the surrounding area but could not find the missing Ponyta. Finally, she sent Starly and Hoothoot into the air to search a larger region. They both returned in a panic.<p>

'What is it?' Amy asked, beginning to panic herself as Starly tugged at her sleeves with its beak and Hoothoot hopped between feet faster than she'd seen it do before. She made up her mind quickly. 'Hoothoot, stay here and wait for Eric. Everyone else, follow me!' Amy took off after Starly, the other Pokémon in pursuit.

Starly led them round the corner towards the car park. Now, Amy could hear the cries of a Pokémon, a fire horse Pokémon to be precise. 'Ponyta!' Amy cried out, rounding the corner and stopping dead. 'Hey! What do you think you're doing?'

The two guys trying to tug Ponyta into an open van froze. Ponyta bucked and brayed on the end of a tether of rope that was looped about its neck. The two guys looked up, towards Amy and there was a moment's pause before the three recognised each other.

'You again!' one of the two exclaimed, a blonde boy with a streak of red down one side of his head. His companion might have let his hair grow slightly since last time, but his size and stature clearly gave him away.

Amy folded her arms, her temper rising. 'Are you still out causing trouble? Give me back my friend's Pokémon.'

'Not yours,' the blonde said, surprised.

'I'm looking after it whilst he runs an errand.' Amy began to march towards them, 'and I'd like it back now.'

But the boys had noticed the small group of Pokémon tailing Amy. 'What about those?' the bigger boy asked, pointing beyond Amy's shoulder.

'Most are mine,' Amy admitted, halting.

'You got all three starters!' the blonde shrieked outraged.

Amy thought then said, 'I should probably thank you for that because if you hadn't stolen them and then escaped arrest, Professor Rowan would have considered the lab the safest place and taken two of them away. As it was, because he deemed that the lab was under threat, he let me keep all three and I proved to him that I could manage all three, which is why I have them.'

'But enough about me,' she continued stepping forward once again, 'give me back that Ponyta.'

* * *

><p>Eric's first action when he found Amy had disappeared was to panic. He tried to hide it from the people with him but it was ruining the moment he had built up when she wasn't where he thought she was. Then Hoothoot came soaring out of a tree, feathers ruffled, hooting like mad and that's when Eric knew something was wrong.<p>

Asking his guests to stay put, Eric let Hoothoot lead and arrived at the scene to see Amy facing off against a blonde boy's Glameow. Her Starly had a height advantage and was easily evading its opponent's Fury Swipes. And then Eric noticed what was going on behind them.

'Ponyta!' he yelled. His fire horse Pokémon, which was almost completely inside the van now, looked back at its master, wide eyed. But if Eric was to get to it, he would have to take the long way round the battle and wouldn't make it in time.

So Eric did something Amy would deem incredibly stupid. Amy's Pokémon parted before him as he ran through them and leapt through the ongoing battle. Thankfully, Amy's opponent was so amazed that he missed his opportunity to stop Eric passing him. However, his burlier companion saw to that.

Ponyta was now safely secured inside the van and the doors were shut in Eric's face. The burly guy towered over him and shoved him aside with one hand. 'Robbie, let's go!' he shouted at his companion, running round to the driver's seat.

Amy used the distraction to all a Quick Attack, which hit directly on Glameow's forehead. The blonde Robbie cursed as his Pokémon collapsed before withdrawing it and running for the passenger's side. Eric was back on his feet now and running for the van doors.

'Ponyta!' he was calling, 'Ponyta! Don't worry! I'll get you out of there!'

'Eric! Watch out!' Amy shouted as she saw the van begin to reverse. Eric realised what was happening and leapt aside as the van backed into where he had been too quickly for Amy's liking. She managed to manuerver all the Pokémon out of the way as the van shot across the car park, almost colliding with the opposite wall, before turning towards the exit.

Eric watched as his Pokémon was slowly being driven away. He could empathise with the creature he could hear trapped inside the metal moving prison, quickly panicking and lashing out at the walls of the van. His heart throbbed for his fire horse, his Ponyta.

He was not going to let them get away with this. As the van began to pick up speed, nearing the car park exit, Eric picked himself up and ran for the back doors. There was a loud metal thud as he hit them, but, somehow, he managed to hang on: one foot on the number plate, one hand on the door handle, another grasping the edge, the second foot slowly sliding down the exhaust pipe.

Then the van turned the corner and the strange group was gone. Amy glanced up at Hoothoot hovering uncertainly above her head. 'Go after them,' she ordered, 'you too, Starly,' she said to her own bird Pokémon, 'and if you figure out where they're going, come back and get me.' The two flying Pokémon set off in hot pursuit.

Amy drew out her Poké balls. 'Okay guys, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to return you. It's quicker that way.' There were no complaints from her Pokémon, but Eric's Budew had nowhere to go. Amy picked it up and was just considering running with it when a familiar voice hailed her.

'Amy!' Jonathon was jogging towards her, 'what's going on?'

'Here,' Amy thrust Budew into Jonathon's arms, 'can you look after him? Eric's Ponyta has been stolen and we need to get it back.'

'Eric pursuing them is he?' Jonathon asked as Amy took off towards the exit.

'Something like that,' Amy muttered. She reached the exit to the park, pause and ran back. 'If you were thieves wanting to get out of town quickly,' she asked the Jubilife resident, 'which way would you go?'

* * *

><p>Eric had managed to get onto the roof of the van which was fixed with bars as if something was supposed to attach to them. He had been too afraid to try opening the doors whilst the van was stationary in case it started up again and he didn't get back on in time. But he had managed to call out to Ponyta and reassure the panicking Pokémon that he was still there and that he would get it out somehow.<p>

He was still a little amazed at himself for his daredevil stunts but he blamed his high moral standards. Stealing Pokémon to begin with is bad. Stealing from him was even worse. Stealing his brand new Pokémon that already didn't trust him, Eric shuddered when he imagined what Ponyta would think after this.

He was relieved when two familiar bird Pokémon landed on the roof beside him. Now all he had to figure out where they were going and Amy could help him out.

They passed a TV station and Eric could now pinpoint where they were heading. After all, being the one with a better sense of direction, he had always held the map. How many times had he stared at it, staring at the tourist locations that he had visited whilst waiting out the six months before Amy got her starter Pokémon?

'Starly,' Eric shouted, hoping it could hear over the wind the car created as it moved, 'fly back to Amy. We're heading for the exit towards Canalave City. If you don't know where that is, I'll get Hoothoot to hover over us just in case.'

Whether Staly heard all of what he said or not, it obeyed, unfolding its wings and let the air currents blow it off the van and into the air. Once it was gone, Eric examined his Hoothoot. It didn't have the stamina to maintain hovering above a moving target for a long period of time, so Eric decided to leave that part of the plan until they neared the edge of Jubilife.

He was spared the need to do so. As they neared the edge of the city, the van began to pick up speed when someone stepped out into the road. Eric couldn't help gaping as Amy, accompanied by Shinx, stepped out against the oncoming van.

* * *

><p>Inside, the two guys glanced at each other nervously. 'She's insane,' Robbie declared.<p>

His partner sighed. 'I think we established that when she dove into the lake for the Poké balls.'

'You've got to admit, Iain,' Robbie said, leaning back, 'he picked someone with guts.'

Thickset Iain grunted and leaned forwards. 'What's that Shinx's doing?'

'Looks like its charging.'

'Is she going to try hitting us with an electric attack?'

The two laughed.

* * *

><p>Outside, Amy grinned. 'Flash,' she commanded.<p>

The entire area was illuminated in bright white light. Amy only just managed to grab Shinx by the collar and jump aside as the van screeched past and collided with the lamppost behind her. The sudden stop would have caused Eric to continue forwards and collide with the metal post too, but he was no longer there. Instead he was hovering in the air, staring in amazement at where he should have been, held up by his trouser belt.

'What the...?' With a two great wing beats, whatever was holding him settled him on the ground. Eric scrambled away and turned back to face his rescuer.

'Jarrett!' he cried in amazement, 'and a...'

Jarrett laughed, 'oh we didn't introduce you last time. This is my Pokémon partner, Honchkrow.' The Honchkrow curved a wing and bowed. This was missed as Eric was rushing towards the doors of the van, which had broken open in the force of the crash.

'Ponyta?' he asked, forcing them open, 'Ponyta!' The foul like Pokémon had collided with the far wall. It raised its head weakly. Eric hurried over and cradled it in his arms. 'Don't you worry,' he reassured it, 'you're safe now.' The Ponyta blinked at him and then rested its head upon his arms. Eric felt the warmth of relief wash over him. Untying his Pokémon, he picked it up and withdrew it into the safety of its Poké ball.

Loud cursing could now be heard from the driver's end of the van. As Eric exited the back, the two attempt thieves staggered out of the front, both holding their heads and cursing loudly. Then they spotted the collection of trainers at the rear end and stopped. Then they both opted for different swear words and leaned against the van, weighing up their odds.

They might have chosen to tackle the trainers, if there hadn't been the cry of 'Amy' from further down the road. Said female turned to see Oliver, Dawn, Johanna and Doreen racing down the road towards them. Dawn reached her first and flung her arms around the older girl's waist.

'What are you doing here?' Amy gasped, gazing at the faces of her friends and family.

'Eric told us you were suffering from depression after losing to a jerk,' Dawn explained to her, 'so we came here to cheer you up!'

'Can't believe you lost so soon after winning your first gym badge,' Oliver scoffed.

'Shut up, Squirt,' Amy snapped, punching him playfully round the head. Somehow that made her feel a lot better than she thought it would.

The laughter was punctuated by Oliver's observation, 'um, they're getting away.'

Amy turned to see the two wannabe thieves running down the road as fast at their legs could carry them. 'Oh, leave them,' she sighed, 'we can alert Officer Jenny later. She's already arrested them once before so their details shouldn't be too hard to find.'

'We've already told her,' Jarrett said, 'that's why I was slightly late.'

'I thought you were perfectly timed,' Eric said with a grin, leaning forwards to pat Honchkrow on the beak, 'Is this how you got here so fast, Amy?'

Amy shrugged and jerked a thumb over her shoulder. 'Well, I took Togekiss; it's faster.'

Eric glanced over to see Belia and Jonathon beside the graceful Jubilee Pokémon, now all approaching the group. The Pokémon in Jonathon's arms caught his attention. 'Budew?' then he gasped, 'Hoothoot!' His tiny owl had fluttered away just before the crash and landed on Jonathon's shoulder. Eric embraced his two Pokémon and returned Budew to its long awaited ball.

'I didn't know that you two were Pokémon trainers,' Doreen was saying to Jarrett when Eric returned.

'Nor did I until I asked Jonathon for directions,' Amy admitted. Eric rolled his eyes.

'Oh, we're not trainers really,' Jarrett said with a laugh. Everyone looked confused.

'Jarrett and Belia were a Pokémon musical duo in Unova whilst they were in their teens,' Jonathon explained, 'they were famous for their dark/light performances accompanied by a Braviary and a Mandibuzz!'

'Unfortunately, our manager told us we weren't allowed to have children whilst we were onstage stars,' Belia added, 'so we gave up our jobs and moved here for a fresh start. We didn't take our Pokémon with us but passed them onto our replacements. Upon moving here, we recreated the team using Honchkrow and Togekiss. We are part of a TV team now and hoped for a family. But...' although she didn't finish the sentence, the clutching of her abdomen was a clear sign.

'So here I am!' Jonathon exclaimed, trying to dispel the sullenly sinking atmosphere. Belia laughed and kissed her adopted son whilst Jarrett ruffled his hair.

'Well, I would have lost my Ponyta without you,' Eric said, 'so thank you.' He accompanied the thanks with a bow, which the handsome couple laughed off. 'And now I need to find a Pokémon centre,' Eric added, 'Ponyta was hurt during the crash.'

'I'll come with you,' Amy suggested.

'Oh no!' Eric disagreed, 'you're staying with them, after all they've done to come and see you.'

'And your new badge,' Oliver hinted, but was ignored.

'See you later then,' Amy smiled.

'Sure.'

* * *

><p>Two panting boys finally stopped when they were a fair distance from Jubilife. They leaned heavily against a tree and then, with a curse, Robbie flopped to the ground. 'That's insane!'<p>

Iain grunted and joined him on the ground. 'So what?'

'Dawn!'

'Yeah.'

'She knows Dawn!'

'Duh.'

'And has the trust of the Pokémon professor.'

'Yeah.'

'Has starter Pokémon.'

'Yeah.'

'And did you see, when she battled me, she pulled out a Pokédex and scanned my stupid cat Pokémon?'

'Did she?'

'Yeah!'

'Huh.'

They sat in silence for a while. 'You know,' Robbie said once he'd got his breath back. 'I think we did our part pretty well.'

'Do you?'

'Well, I thought we were pretty villainous.'

'Yeah.'

They sat a while longer, watching the sun begin to set. 'You know,' Robbie commented, 'that's a pretty impressive piece he's got there.'

Iain grunted. 'If he can make her move straight.'

'Oh, he will,' Robbie grinned, 'even if he has to command her himself, he will.'

Only a foolish player lets his queen go astray.

* * *

><p>And there you have an nice little puzzle at the end to consider.<p>

I am planning on going back a few chapters and adding in a short chapter about how Eric gets his Ponyta because I feel that's a little sudden and I've come up with a point to it all now, which I admit I hadn't when I first wrote it, so keep an eye out, that will appear soon.


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